Overview
- A joint announcement July 1 between the PGA Tour and Sony confirmed the long-running Sony Open will become the Sony Championship on PGA Tour Champions beginning January 2027.
- The 54-hole event will be played Jan. 14–16 at Waialae Country Club, end on a Saturday, feature a 78-player field and a $3 million purse, and will be run by IMG.
- The decision follows the loss of The Sentry at Kapalua because drought and water‑rights issues made the Maui course unplayable and forced a rethink of Hawaii’s January golf schedule.
- Sony committed to continue its local charity work — the company has given more than $27 million to Hawaii nonprofits since 1999 — and many past Waialae champions now on the Champions tour are expected to return.
- Organizers plan the Sony Championship to likely pair with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai to form a Hawaii Champions swing, a move that could ease travel demands and improve TV timing but leaves some future scheduling order undecided.