Taking a path similar to the one the PGA Tour pursued on Oahu, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai will not have any spectators on the grounds during the senior event held in January at the Four Seasons Resort along the Kona coast.

The winners-only professional golf tournament for the PGA Tour Seniors will be the first of 2021. After giving it some thought, tournament officials opted to do what the Sony Open in Hawaii did and that is play the 54-hole event with no one walking the course that Jack Nicklaus built but the players, caddies and tour officials.

“While spectators are an important element of professional sports, after consulting with state and local officials, we are steadfast in our belief that competing without spectators in 2021 is the most responsible decision at this time,” tournament manager Kelly Fliear said. “We appreciate the understanding from our tremendous fans on the Big Island and throughout the state of Hawaii and promise to deliver an exciting event for the game’s legends while maintaining support for our local charitable beneficiaries.”

The tournament plans to have pro-ams on Tuesday and Wednesday with the golfers teeing it up for real on Thursday, Jan. 21. The pro-ams will not be open to the public. The defending champion is Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who beat Ernie Els and Fred Couples in a one-hole playoff last January.