Masters Tournament’s Champions Dinner – Golf, Food and Pride

Champions Dinner is the proudest tradition of The Masters Tournament that is celebrated by the golfers participating in golf’s most prestigious tournament. It is simply the celebration of golf royalty with the most exclusive guest list on the preceding Tuesday before the Tournament. The first-ever Champions Dinner was introduced by Ben Hogan, back in 1952. The dinner was organized as a way for the special collection of individuals to gather before the tournament began. Every living past champion who attends the dinner wears an iconic green jacket, slacks, dress shirt, and tie.

The dinner was first introduced to release some of the tension before the Masters begin and to have a fun banter amongst the players. Champions Dinner is one of the greatest mysteries of golf as nobody knows what goes inside once the door shuts at 7:15 PM on the Tuesday before the Masters began. Fans only get a peak into the dinner’s menu and the official photos that are released afterward.

The Importance of the Champions Dinner

Traditions are true to be valued and respected. Champions Dinner is one such tradition that holds the utmost respect and value in the golf fraternity. The pressure to organize a dinner that all the ex-champions are going to be feasting on, is nerve-wracking. It is not wrong to say that the pressure to choose what goes on the menu for such a star-studded event, featuring the world’s best players is real.

What’s on the menu?

The defending champion is honored with the responsibility of choosing the menu for the dinner. According to sources, the 2023 Champions dinner will be serving some mouth-watering Texan flavors, served by last year’s defending champion: Scottie Scheffler. 

The 2023 Champions dinner menu is an inspiration from Scheffler’s roots – a feast of Texas. Scheffler’s four-course meal opens up with classic cheeseburger sliders served in “Scottie-style,” along with firecracker shrimp. This is to be followed up with a tortilla soup.

Read more: Days Before the Masters, Defending Champion Scottie Scheffler Makes a Humbling Confession: ‘They Don’t Give Me Any Shots’

Texas ribeye steak or blackened redfish will be the highlight of the main course, which is to be accompanied by macaroni and cheese, jalapeño creamed corn, fried Brussels sprouts, and seasoned fries served “family style.”

Finally, to end the night on a sweet note, the tasty grand finale is going to be a warm chocolate chip skillet cookie, served with milk and cookies ice cream.

A Timeline of Every Champions Dinner Menu Ever 

The menu of the Champions Dinner was not disclosed to the public before 1986. It was after this year, that the menu was made public a few weeks for the fans. The journey of every menu is for sure a nostalgic one. Here are some of them:

Hideki Matsuyama, 2022:

Starters: Assorted Sushi, Sashimi and Sagiri or Yakitori Chicken Skewers.

Main course: Miyazaki Wagyu, A5 Wagyu Beef Ribeye with Mixed Mushrooms & Vegetables, and Sansho Daikon Ponzu;

Dessert: Japanese Strawberry Cheesecake or Fluffy Sponge Cake with Whipped Cream and Amaou Strawberries for dessert.

Dustin Johnson, 2021:

Starters: Choice of garden salad or Caesar salad

Main course: Prime filet mignon with mashed potatoes and spring vegetables, or miso-marinated sea bass.

Dessert: Peach cobbler and apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Tiger Woods, 2020:

Starters: Augusta Roll of tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado, eel sauce, tempura flakes, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.

Main Course: Prime steak and chicken fajitas, grilled vegetables, refried beans, mexican rice, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, flour tortillas;

Dessert: Trio of desserts comprising classic fan, churros with chocolate sauce and sopapillas.

Patrick Reed, 2019:

Starters: Choice of Caesar salad or Wedge salad.

Main Course: Prime Bone-In Cowboy Rib Eye with herb butter and sides of macaroni and cheese, creamed spinach, corn creme brule and steamed broccoli.

Dessert: Tiramisu, vanilla bean creme brulee and chocolate crunch and praline cheesecake.

Sergio Garcia, 2018:

Starters: International Salad inspired by ingredients representing countries of Masters Champions.

Main course: Traditional Spanish Lobster Rice.

Dessert: Angela Garcia’s Tres Leches Cake. 

Danny Willett, 2017:

Mini Cottage Pies; Sunday Roast of Prime Rib, Roasted Potatoes & Vegetables, Yorkshire Puddings, Gravy; Dessert of Apple Crumble & Vanilla Custard.

Jordan Spieth, 2016:

Salad of local greens; a main course of Texas barbecue (beef brisket, smoked half chicken, pork ribs); sides of BBQ baked beans, bacon, and chive potato salad, sauteed green beans, grilled zucchini, roasted yellow squash; dessert of warm chocolate chip cookie, vanilla ice cream.

Bubba Watson, 2015:

Traditional caesar salad to start. Entree of grilled chicken breast with sides of green beans, mashed potatoes, corn, macaroni, and cheese, served with cornbread. Dessert of confetti cake and vanilla ice cream.

Adam Scott, 2014:

Surf-and-turf on the grill, including Moreton Bay ‘bugs’ (lobster). Started with an appetizer of artichoke and arugula salad with calamari. The main course of Australian Wagyu beef New York Strip steak, served with Moreton Bay lobster, sauteed spinach, onion cream mashed potatoes. Desserts of strawberry and passion fruit pavlova, Anzac biscuit and vanilla sundae.

Bubba Watson, 2013:

Traditional caesar salad to start. Entree of grilled chicken breast with sides of green beans, mashed potatoes, corn, macaroni, and cheese, served with cornbread. Dessert of confetti cake and vanilla ice cream.

Charl Schwartzel, 2012:

An opening course consisting of a chilled seafood bar, which includes shrimp, lobster, crabmeat, crab legs, and oysters. The main course is a “braai,” a South African barbecue, which includes lamb chops, steaks, and South African sausages. Dessert of vanilla ice cream sundae. Also in the mix are salads, cheeses, plus sides such as sauteed sweet corn, green beans, and Dauphinoise potatoes. 

Phil Mickelson, 2011:

A Spanish-themed menu with seafood paella and machango-topped filet mignon as the entrees. Also includes a salad course, asparagus, and tortillas as sides, plus ice cream-topped apple empanada for dessert.

Angel Cabrera, 2010:

An Argentine asado, a multicourse barbecue featuring chorizo, blood sausage, short ribs, beef filets and mollejas (the thymus gland, aka sweetbreads).

Trevor Immelman, 2009:

Bobotie (a spiced minced meat pie with an egg topping), sosaties ( a type of chicken skewer), spinach salad, milk tart and South African wines.

Zach Johnson, 2008:

Iowa beef, Florida shrimp. 

Phil Mickelson, 2007:

Barbecued ribs, chicken, sausage and pulled pork, with cole slaw.

Tiger Woods, 2006:

Stuffed jalapeno and quesadilla appetizers with salsa and guacamole; green salad; steak fajitas, chicken fajitas, Mexican rice, refried beans; apple pie and ice cream for dessert.

Phil Mickelson, 2005:

Lobster ravioli in tomato cream sauce, Caesar’s salad, garlic bread.

Mike Weir, 2004:

Elk, wild boar, Arctic char (that’s a fish), Canadian beer.

Tiger Woods, 2003:

Tiger brought back the porterhouse steak, chicken, and sushi from his 2002 menu. Also on the menu were sashimi, salads, crab cakes, asparagus, mashed potatoes and a chocolate truffle cake.

Tiger Woods, 2002:

Porterhouse steak and chicken with a sushi appetizer.

Vijay Singh, 2001:

Seafood tom kah, chicken panang curry, baked sea scallops with garlic sauce, rack of lamb with yellow kari sauce, baked filet Chilean sea bass with three flavor chili sauce, lychee sorbet.

Mark O’Meara, 1999:

Chicken fajitas, steak fajitas, sushi, tuna sashimi.

Tiger Woods, 1998:

Cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, milkshakes.

Nick Faldo, 1997:

Fish and chips, tomato soup.

Ben Crenshaw, 1996:

Texas barbecue.

Jose Maria Olazabal, 1995:

Paella and hake, plus tapas. 

Bernhard Langer, 1994:

Turkey and dressing, black forest torte.

Fred Couples, 1993:

Chicken cacciatore.

Sandy Lyle, 1989:

Haggis, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips.

Bernhard Langer, 1986:

Wiener schnitzel (breaded veal).

The most iconic menus of them all

In 1989, Sandy Lyle introduced a Scottish meal consisting of Haggis, mashed turnips, and mashed potatoes at a dinner party. 

Nick Faldo brought fish and chips with tomato soup for starters in 1997. Tiger Woods served cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, and milkshakes at the 1998 dinner party, and in 2020, he still included milkshakes in his menu alongside steak and chicken fajitas and sushi. 

Charl Schwartzel stuck to his South African roots in 2012, serving a seafood starter followed by a braai with lamb chops, steaks, and sausages. 

In 2017, Danny Willett chose mini cottage pies, a Sunday roast, and apple crumble with vanilla custard for dessert. 

Bubba Watson repeated his successful 2013 menu in 2015, consisting of Caesar salad, grilled chicken breast with sides, and confetti cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Champions Dinner has seen a vast variety of menus. Every defending champion chooses a menu that pays homage to his roots, culture, and existence.

According to Golf.com, to mark the occasion, the menu for the Dinner is passed along, where every guest signs it personally. And, every host receives a gold locket that is inscribed with the Augusta National Club’s logo.

What an iconic tradition the Champions Dinner has turned out to be! Once started as a means to bond and relieve the stress on the players prior to the tournament, the Dinner has surely made its mark and has become a historic event for the golf fraternity to look forward to.

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