Plantation General Manager Alex Nakajima addresses the crowd while standing beside 48 junior golfers at the Kapalua Plantation Course before the young golfers teed off on Sunday. The owner of Kapalua Golf, Tadashi Yanai, donated $750,000 to Maui nonprofits, including giving $117,000 to support three junior golf programs on Maui. The Maui News/Eli Pace

About four dozen golfers ages 10 to 17 teed off at the pro-level Kapalua Plantation Course on Sunday — just after watching three junior golf nonprofits receive one big check.

Sunday’s round featuring representatives from Lahaina Junior Golf, the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association/First Tee of Hawaii and Maui Junior Golf was a welcome sight not just for the young golfers and their mentors, but also for the course managers and staff at Kapalua Golf.

The Plantation Course had been closed since Sept. 2 after going months without irrigation over the summer. Two weeks after the closure, the PGA TOUR announced it would not host the 2026 Sentry at the Plantation Course on Maui due to the dry conditions.

It’s amazing the difference a couple months can make.

“It is looking pretty good,” said Alex Nakajima, Kapalua Golf’s general manager, of the course conditions Sunday. “With a golf course, what you see on the surface is only just a couple millimeters, but there’s a deep root system, and the health of the turf all needs to rebound. Yes, I would say we’re probably about 70% to 80%, good enough to certainly play.”

And so Kapalua Golf welcomed the return of play by giving the young golfers a special round Sunday a day before the course officially reopened to the public.

A golfer tees off at the Kapalua Plantation Course on Sunday during a special round for three junior golf clubs. The Plantation Course was closed in September and October due to dry conditions. However, with the conditions much improved, the Plantation Course reopened to the public Monday. Photo courtesy Kapalua Golf

“Everybody did a wonderful job to bring this golf course back,” Nakajima told the group of young golfers.

“This is a great way for you to take the first divot before the pros do, so that’s why you’re here, and I can’t thank all of you enough. Thank you for being here, and thanks to the parents and all the coaches for the support. This really makes the future of golf.”

Under scattered showers, the course conditions looked much greener than they were this summer, and only one of the holes hadn’t recovered enough to be playable Sunday.

After a few brief remarks, the young golfers posed for photos with an oversized check made out to Lahaina Junior Golf, Hawaii State Junior Golf Association/First Tee of Hawaii and Maui Junior Golf for $117,000.

Nakajima said the money came from Tadashi Yanai, president of TY Management and the owner of Kapalua Golf, as part of an ongoing pledge to help local nonprofits. Altogether, Nakajima said, more than 10 Maui nonprofits are receiving donations for a total of $750,000.

Local nonprofits have traditionally benefited from The Sentry, and that was one of the catalysts for the large donation.

“When Mr. Yanai heard that The Sentry PGA TOUR event would not be played at Kapalua in 2026, he worried about the Maui nonprofits that have historically benefited from generous donations,” Nakajima said. “Mr. Yanai wanted to make sure the nonprofits would still have funding for their important causes and he pledged to help out.”

Golfers from Lahaina Junior Golf, the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association/First Tee of Hawaii and Maui Junior Golf pose for a photo after it was announced that Tadashi Yanai, the owner of Kapalua Golf, is donating $117,000 to the three organizations. The Maui News/Eli Pace

For groups like First Tee Hawaii, that money is more than nice; it’s essential to their operations.

According to Chris Noda, executive director of the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association and First Tee-Hawaii, all of their funding comes from donations, and the program expects to see close to 1,000 five-week registrations for children on Maui this year.

Noda said Maui makes up the group’s largest pool of registrants, and all of the donations received Sunday will go to support children from Maui.

The other nonprofits were also grateful.

“Mr. Yanai’s commitment to supporting Maui, even in the absence of The Sentry tournament this year, truly exemplifies the “Spirit of Aloha,” said Jasper Yun, president of the Maui Junior Golf Association.

“This contribution will make a lasting impact on growing the next generation of golfers and leaders here on the island,” he continued. “We’re thrilled to see the Plantation Course come back to life and giving our Maui Junior Golfers an opportunity to experience playing at this world-class venue.”