A first for professional golfer Steven Fisk might have been a last for the state of Mississippi. When Fisk was handed the chicken trophy given to the victor of the Sanderson Farms Championship, it marked the first PGA Tour win of the Georgia native’s career, while also possibly marking the end of a nearly 70-year tradition of the professional tournament occurring in the Magnolia State.
The tournament, initially called the Magnolia Classic, began in 1968 at the Hattiesburg Country Club, where it was played before moving to the Annandale Golf Club in Madison in 1994. After going through several name changes, Sanderson Farms, a poultry producer based in Laurel, assumed title sponsorship in 2013 and moved the PGA Tour event to the Country Club of Jackson the next year, where it has taken place since.
But in 2024, tournament officials were given the unfortunate news that Sanderson Farms, which had recently undergone a merger to become Wayne-Sanderson Farms, would no longer be the title sponsor. Wayne-Sanderson Farms, however, decided to give the tournament one last hoorah in 2025 before officially backing out of being the premier benefactor.
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Looking ahead, the poultry giant will continue as a major sponsor, but organizers are now scrambling to find another company to be the face and primary financial backer of the tournament. Steve Jent, the tournament’s executive director, confirmed that work is being done to bring a new title sponsor to the table, but those efforts have yet to bear fruit.
“There’s a lot up in the play. Wayne-Sanderson Farms is still going to continue to be a good partner next year, helping us with our charitable efforts, and finishing the 10-year run we announced several years ago,” Jent said on Mornings with Richard Cross. “It takes one marquis sponsor to write that check, and we just haven’t found that company yet. We’ve had some conversations.”
The potential end of the longstanding professional golf tournament would deliver a significant blow to the Jackson metro and local charities. The event generates millions of dollars in economic impact in the Jackson area, especially through hotel reservations and restaurant patronage.
Since 2013, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised nearly $20 million to benefit Children’s of Mississippi, the state’s lone children’s hospital. The event has also had a profound impact on a multitude of other charities in their collective effort to better the lives of the less fortunate in Mississippi.
“We know how much it means to the community,” Jent added. “We know what the tournament means to the community in terms of an economic impact on hotels, restaurants, and dining. It’s a significant economic impact.”
While a title sponsor has yet to emerge, Jent and company are not giving up hope. The tournament’s director is ensuring that all efforts are being exhausted to keep professional golf in Jackson for the foreseeable future. A PGA Tour business development entity is also aiding in the title sponsor search.
“Everyone should know. It’s in good hands. We’re working hard to make it happen,” Jent said. “We hope we can get something across the finish line.”
At this time, the PGA Tour has not announced its fall 2026 schedule.
