Chris Gotterup’s win on Sunday could end up being the final chapter of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Waialae Country Club once again delivered an impressive backdrop for the PGA Tour season opener.
That comes after The Sentry was cancelled due to ongoing issues in Maui.
Now, there is some uncertainty about whether the PGA Tour will return to Hawaii next year.
Robert MacIntyre shares thoughts on Waialae after Sony Open in Hawaii
There are changes expected in the PGA Tour schedule over the next few years, and it would not be surprising if several tournaments were dropped.
The future of both The Sentry and the Sony Open remains unclear. January golf events often struggle with viewership due to competition from the NFL playoffs, and Sony’s sponsorship wraps up this year.
Organising back-to-back events in Hawaii is also a major challenge for the tour, adding to concerns about their place on future calendars.
One player who would be disappointed to see the tournament go is Robert MacIntyre, who spoke highly of Waialae after finishing fourth on Sunday.
“This is one of my favourite golf tournaments of the year to be honest. This is one of the best golf courses we play all year. Any one of the guys out there can play this golf course on their day.
“You don’t have to bomb it. You can be short. It’s just a proper test of golf, more like what we would play in Europe when we go to Valderrama, Belgium. Just, yeah, you got to shape the ball. Obviously the breeze gets up, but yeah this is a great start. A lot more to come,” he stated.
Waialae is an important part of the PGA Tour calendar
The PGA Tour will need to take a close look at the schedule, but losing the Sony Open would be a real loss for the circuit. Golf needs more tournaments like this, not fewer.
It seems to me that there are too many courses on tour that blend into one another. Too many ask players simply to hit driver as far as possible and resist building par threes under 200 yards.
Waialae was different. This is a course where skill matters more than distance. Keegan Bradley and Collin Morikawa missed the cut, while Vijay Singh made it through to the weekend.
Meanwhile, MacIntyre carded a 63 just a day after Nick Dunlap had shot a 77.
No decision has been made yet about which events might be dropped from future schedules, but Waialae will hope it is not near the top of that list when changes are finalised.
- READ MORE: Chris Gotterup told one part of his game is ‘not up to PGA Tour standards’ after Sony Open win
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