Hawaii Tourism: Sony Open golfer on Oahu was kidnapped, drugged, beaten and robbed

This is not really good when thinking about travel and tourism to Hawaii, but fortunately such an experience is usually not known in the Aloha State, and it happened away from the tourist area of Waikiki.

Robert Allenby, a known Australian golfer who was participating in the US PGA Tour’s Sony Open on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, was kidnapped from the Amuse Wine Bar in Honolulu Friday night. He claimed he was beaten and robbed before being dropped off in a park more than six miles away.

The bar is located in downtown Honolulu inside a furniture design center. It’s usually not an area often frequented by tourists visiting the island or Waikiki. Even though considered safe, most tourists would avoid the downtown area and it’s not clear why Mr. Allenby choose this bar. It appears he was with local friends.

Allenby went to the bar with two friends, but at the time of the alleged kidnapping he was alone.

Allenby reportedly signed his check at the Amuse Wine Bar at 10:48 p.m. local time on Friday night, and surveillance footage showed him leaving the parking lot minutes later with a group of five or six people.

Allenby believes he may have been drugged by the suspects at the bar.

left to right bar- golf course – hotel

Amuse wine bar Honolulu

Amuse wine bar inside this design house in downtown Honolulu

“I didn’t think I was going to survive this one,” Allenby told the AAP. “I was separated from my friend in the bar after we paid the tab at 10:48 p.m. and he went to the bathroom, and next thing you know I’m being dumped in a park miles away.”

Allenby sustained significant facial injuries and was robbed of his wallet, cellphone, cash and credit cards.

Allenby awoke groggy and with no recollection of what had happened to him. He was picked up in the park by a retired US military guy and returned to the Kahala Hotel. The hotel is near the famous Waialae Country Club, where the Sony Open is a yearly occurrence. The Kahala Hotel is also outside Waikiki, but on the opposite side of Honolulu and miles away from the Amuse Bar.

A homeless woman at the scene reportedly saw Allenby being dumped from the trunk of a car.

Allenby began to piece together the events of Friday night today and returned to the wine bar with police to review surveillance footage.

Since the Sony Open is a yearly high-profile event and an important event for the Hawaii travel and tourism industry, it was surprising the Hawaii Tourism Authority could not be reached for comments.