The PGA Tour has officially dropped Oneflight International as a co-title sponsor for the Myrtle Beach Classic. This decision comes just weeks after the private jet charter company paused all flight operations. According to Yahoo Sports, the tour is now looking for a different title partner for its South Carolina stop. The split marks a sudden shift for an event that relied on the Denver-based firm to help fund the purse and bring celebrity attention to the pro-am.
Visit Myrtle Beach will continue the sole title sponsor, ensuring the tournament stays on the schedule. Steve Mays, who was named the new tournament director on Thursday, confirmed that the financial stakes for the players will not change. “We’re gonna move forward as the Myrtle Beach Classic with Visit Myrtle Beach as our title sponsor. There’ll be no change to the purse or to the tournament,” Mays said, according to WMBF. The event is still set to return to The Dunes Golf and Beach Club from May 13-16, 2027.
Lawsuits Reveal Financial Misconduct
The reason for the separation lies in a series of federal lawsuits filed against Oneflight and its founder, Ferren Rajput. Three separate legal actions allege the company ran a Ponzi-like scheme. The United States District Court for the District of Colorado received these lawsuits. One filing by Five-Star Audiovisual Inc. states that Oneflight abruptly suspended services around Sept. 16 without notice. Five-Star claims the company holds $223,000 of its money intended for future flights.
A separate lawsuit filed by Jeremy Ricks of California makes even more serious accusations. The filing alleges that Oneflight “used customer funds to service obligations to earlier customers and fund marketing and sponsorship campaigns for various groups, including the PGA Tour and McLaren F1 team.”
A further suit alleges the firm retains $800,000 in cash payments and promotional credits for future use. Prior reporting by ABC 15 stated these lawsuits charged the sponsor with being ‘the hallmark of a Ponzi Scheme.’ The company encouraged customers to make large, nonrefundable deposits for flight hours that the firm could not deliver.
New Leadership Steps In
Amid the sponsorship turmoil, the tournament secured new leadership to guide it through the 2027 season. SPORTFIVE, the organization that operates the Grand Strand event, announced Steve Mays as the new tournament director effective immediately. Mays brings 30 years of leadership experience to the role.
Mays succeeded Darren Nelson and will now oversee the planning, operations, and growth of the tournament. He expressed pride in taking the job. “I’ve spent my career helping grow golf in Myrtle Beach, and it’s an honor to take on this role,” Mays said, according to WPDE. He noted that the event has become a vital part of the local community and a showcase for the region. A successful 2027 event focused on fan experience and local business participation continues to be his priority. The tournament previously featured stars like Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell, but those appearances were funded by Oneflight’s connections during their 2025 sponsorship.
The removal of Oneflight does not diminish the quality of the competition. The purse remains at approximately $4 million, a figure that ensures top-tier talent will still travel to the Grand Strand. The split was confirmed by the PGA Tour on Thursday, ending a partnership that began in 2025. While the loss of a co-title sponsor is significant, the continuity provided by Visit Myrtle Beach stabilizes the event. Previous champions like Chris Gotterup, Ryan Fox, and Brandt Snedeker have already shown that the course at The Dunes offers a serious test of golf.
For the players, the change is largely administrative. The schedule, the venue, and the prize money remain intact. The focus now shifts to how the tournament manages without the celebrity draw that Oneflight provided. However, with a seasoned director like Mays at the helm, the organization appears ready to move past the controversy. The legal battles involving Oneflight are expected to continue in federal court, but the golf itself will proceed as planned.
Next Steps on the Calendar
The Myrtle Beach Classic is scheduled to return to The Dunes Golf and Beach Club for its next run. The tournament will take place from May 13-16, 2027. This date marks the official return of the event under its new leadership structure and sole sponsorship arrangement. No other changes to the format or the field have been announced at this time.