University of Hawaiʻi’s marquee tournament will be played on Pearl’s newly renovated course in 2026
‘AIEA, O‘AHU – Top collegiate women’s golfers from across the country will tee off at Pearl at Kalauao on March 17–18 as they compete in the 40th annual Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. Hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi (UH), the marquee tournament will feature 13 women’s golf programs from nine states, including six teams ranked among the top 100 this year and the No. 2 ranked team in the country. The event gives Hawaiʻi teams the opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s best collegiate talent. Teams will play 36 holes on Tuesdays before concluding with a final 18-hole round on Wednesday.
The tournament honors Dr. Donnis Thompson, a pioneering leader in women’s sports who founded the University of Hawai‘i’s women’s athletic program and later served as the school’s first women’s athletic director, helping shape the growth of women’s athletics across Hawai‘i.
The 2026 tournament was originally scheduled for Kāneʻohe Klipper Golf Course. However, after Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i closed to non-military personnel on Feb. 28 for the foreseeable future, Hawai‘i’s golf community quickly rallied to relocate one of UH’s marquee events to Pearl.
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational
Dates: March 17-18, 2026
Format: 54 holes (36 Tuesday, 18 Wednesday); 5-count-4
Time: 8:00 a.m. HST shotgun start each day
Venue: Pearl at Kalauao
Location: ‘Aiea, O‘ahu
Yardage (Par): 6,246 (72)
Live scoring: SCOREBOARD
Host: UH
Defending team champion: University of Washington
Defending individual co-champions: Grace Lee, Gonzaga University; Vivian Lu, University of Washington
Teams (13)
Arizona State University (ASU), California Baptist University, UH, Hawai‘i Pacific University, University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM), Montana State University, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, University of North Carolina (UNC), University of Northern Colorado, Sacramento State University (Sac State), Texas State University (TXST) and University of Southern California (USC).
No. 2 USC headlines the field. The Trojans captured the inaugural GameAbove Golf Invitational team title on March 10 in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Sophomore Kylie Chong also secured the individual title, marking her second career tournament win. The Trojans are two-time Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational team champions (1994, 2003).
No. 13 UNC enters after winning two of its last four tournaments, including the Landfall Tradition in Landfall, North Carolina, and the Chevron Collegiate in Humble, Texas. The Tar Heels also placed third in last week’s Gators Invitational in Gainesville, Florida.
No. 20 ASU—winner of a record eight NCAA Division I national championships—will compete without 2025 second-team All-American Patience Rhodes, who is sidelined with an injury. The junior from England has recorded nine career top-10 finishes. Last fall, Arizona State finished runner-up in the Hawai‘i-hosted Nanea Invitational in Kailua-Kona. The Sun Devils are three-time Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational team champions (2011, 2020, 2024).
No. 72 Sac State, a two-time Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational team champion (2022 and 2023), finished runner-up in last year’s event at Royal Kā‘anapali in Lahaina.
No. 57 TXST and No. 69 ULM are also ranked in the NCAA SCOREBOARD Top-100.
Quotes
“Tournaments are more special when courses really want you there,” said Scott Simpson, a two-time NCAA medalist, seven-time PGA TOUR winner and current University of Hawaiʻi men’s golf coach. “Last fall we hosted the Pearl at Kalauao Invitational. Every top team loved the course, the challenge and how fair it was. They were also incredibly impressed with the staff. I have no doubt many teams will want to return.”
“This is another great opportunity for our players to compete head-to-head against many of the sport’s best,” said Ed Kageyama, PGA general manager of Pearl at Kalauao and head coach of the Hawai‘i Pacific University men’s and women’s golf teams. “As we continue building on Pearl’s tradition of hosting high-profile tournaments, we hope every team enjoys the challenge, fun and special setting of our golf course.”
Venue
Following a 12-month modernization, Pearl at Kalauao has transformed into a premier Oʻahu public golf destination, earning seven notable accolades for design, junior programming, dining, culture, and community impact.
Attendance
Tournament attendance is free for walking spectators. Fans can park on-site at Pearl at Kalauao.
– Pau –
Photos courtesy of Pearl at Kalauao.
About Pearl at Kalauao
Pearl at Kalauao, like a precious momi (pearl), is a hidden gem in O‘ahu’s golfing landscape, offering breathtaking views from Pu‘uloa to the Wai‘anae Mountains. Established in 1967 as the Francis H. ‘Ī‘ī Brown Golf and Country Club and later transitioning to Pearl Country Club in 1975, it has long welcomed both kama‘āina and visitors. Today, the course continues its legacy with new enhancements, including upgraded clubhouse amenities and short-game practice facilities. Pearl at Kalauao remains committed to sustainable stewardship of the ‘āina, fostering a connection to the land that benefits both the environment and the wider community. Learn more at www.pearlatkalauao.com.
About Troon
Pearl at Kalauao is managed by Indigo Sports, a Troon company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 950-plus locations in 45-plus states and 40-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
