The Plantation Course at Kapalua had been a mainstay on the PGA Tour for a quarter‑century, playing host to the Sentry Tournament as the season‑opening event from 1999‑2013 and once more in 2024‑2025. In April the PGA Tour announced it would withdraw its Maui event, ending that long‑standing arrangement.
Although the PGA Tour will not return to Kapalua next season, the LPGA has stepped in as the course’s new professional golf partner.
On Monday the LPGA confirmed that beginning in 2027 the Lotte Championship will move to the Plantation Course. The event, which Jeeno Thitikul captured just yesterday, will shift to March and become one leg of a new two‑event Hawaii Swing that also features the inaugural Nanea Cup. The Lotte Championship will carry a $3 million purse for its inaugural season at Kapalua.
Kessler said, “We are delighted that Kapalua Resort and the Plantation Course will host the Lotte Championship in 2027. As we refine the LPGA schedule, we seek venues with deep‑rooted tradition, and Kapalua fits that bill perfectly.” He added, “This move would not have happened without the backing of Lotte and Kapalua. We also thank Hoakalei Country Club for its five‑year partnership and anticipate building on the championship’s success at its new Maui home.”
This marks Kapalua’s first LPGA event since the 2008 Kapalua LPGA Classic, which Morgan Pressel claimed.
The new Hawaii Swing forms a key component of Kessler’s overarching plan to reshape the LPGA calendar around logical routing, premier courses and competitive purses.
Kessler remarked, “You’ve likely heard us emphasize routing, course quality and purse levels. We are uncompromising on each of those fronts.” He continued, “There is still work to be done on courses and purses, but we embrace a philosophy of continual improvement, aiming to incrementally enhance all three areas year after year.”
Kessler and the LPGA have spent the past year refining the schedule’s outlook for the seasons ahead.
The LPGA Corning Classic is set to return to western New York after an 18‑year hiatus, having been a tour staple for 31 years before its 2009 discontinuation.
Kessler noted, “The Corning Classic’s return marries the LPGA’s storied past with its future direction. As we chart the next phase of the Tour, we are building on the hallmarks that have defined us for decades: elite championships, dedicated partners, enthusiastic communities and unforgettable experiences for our players.”
In 2027 the LPGA, Ladies European Tour and Golf Saudi will jointly sanction a London event offering a $4 million purse.
Kessler’s most ambitious schedule innovation is the Nanea Cup, a hybrid event pairing elite LPGA professionals with leading collegiate women golfers to highlight both the present and future of the sport. The inaugural field will consist of 95 LPGA Tour members and 25 of the country’s top college players, competing at David McLay Kidd’s Nanea Golf Club. After the Nanea Cup, the LPGA will move directly to Kapalua, bringing Kessler’s vision to life.
