Where will the PGA Tour pros set record-breaking scores now? The Kapalua Plantation Course has been one of the most exciting venues to kick off the season since 1999. Over the years, it has seen some big names win The Sentry or previous iterations of the tournament. The likes of Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, and Justin Thomas have all triumphed on the course. However, the latest reports reveal that the event that was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions might not even have a venue anymore.

Golf Channel confirmed that the Kapalua Plantation Course has been closed for two months. Apparently, the course that is often known for its lush-green atmosphere and windy conditions was “yellow and brown,” as described in the article published by NBC Sports. It had been severely starved of water and was completely dried out. Apparently, the course hadn’t received any water since July 25, according to the General Manager of the Kapalua Golf and Tennis, Alex Nakajima. They will require 60 days of restoration to try and bring it back to its former glory.

“The golf course has been damaged with no water for months. I proposed to the owner that we need to shut the golf course to increase our chances to save the golf course and the tournament,” claims Nakajima, as he had been noticing the deterioration of the conditions for a long time. Speaking about the urgency of shutting it down on September 2, 2025, he said, “We have to do this immediately. Every day the golf course is dying.” However, the owners were facing challenges of their own leading up to the months the course was closed.

Interestingly, the situation in Kapalua chains to a huge problem within the local supply chain. Let’s see how the owners and homeowners of the region are dealing with it.

Kapalua Plantation Course owners take stiff action against Maui-based company

The owner, Tadashi Yanai, who also founded the famed Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo, was unable to close the course as per his General Manager’s suggestion. That’s because it was unclear to him when the course would start getting water supply again. As the report confirms, Yanai, Kapalua homeowners, and the Hua Momona Farms filed a lawsuit against Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc. sometime last week.

They own the Honokōhau Ditch System, which is the primary source of water supply for the Kapalua and West Maui region. Apparently, local residents and businesses like the Kapalua Plantation Course were not getting sufficient water supply from the company. Their negligence has not only destroyed the iconic course of the region but also caused a lot of unrest among the other local businesses and residents.

The lawsuit reads, “MLP (Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc.) has knowingly … allowed the Ditch System to fall into a state of demonstrable disrepair. That disrepair, not any act of God, or force of nature, or other thing, is why users who need it are currently without water.” While there is no definite timeline as to when the issue will be resolved, hopefully, the people of Kapalua and West Maui will get relief from this distress really soon.