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8 months ago
23
The great and the good of golf gathered for a last supper on Tuesday night at the Masters Champions Dinner, one of the final traditions before the action finally begins at Augusta.
Defending champion Jon Rahm hosted the night and the Spaniard selected an Iberian theme for his dinner guests.
The 29-year-old started with a mix of tapas and pintxos including spicy Basque chorizo and even 'Mama Rahm's Classic Lentil Stew' - and dish made to his grandmother's recipe by chef Jose Andres, who helped Rahm design the menu.
'He called my grandma for the recipe,' Rahm revealed last month of the effort Andres has gone to. 'If somebody doesn’t like it, please just don’t tell me. Don’t tell anyone, actually. It means a little bit too much to me to hear it.'
The Rahm family recipe was followed by crab salad before offering a choice of ribeye stake or turbot and concluded with puff pastry cake, served with custard and Chantilly cream.
Jon Rahm (center) hosted Masters winners young and old for the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night at Augusta
The 29-year-old's Spanish-inspired menu (left) includes 'Mama Rahm's Classic Lentil Stew' - his grandma's recipe
Tonight, we celebrated Jon Rahm’s outstanding accomplishment last year and also remembered our friend Jackie Burke Jr. Hard to believe I am now this table’s elder statesman until my time is up. Will cherish every moment. GP
'I wanted to put a little bit of my heritage and my family into this dinner, which is going to make it even more special,' Rahm said. 'Hopefully I get to do it again, but I wanted to make sure the Basque heritage was there.
Gary Player, who at 88 is now the oldest living Masters champion, was among the legends who paid tribute to Rahm on social media on Tuesday night, writing: 'Tonight, we celebrated Jon Rahm’s outstanding accomplishment last year and also remembered our friend Jackie Burke Jr.
'Hard to believe I am now this table’s elder statesman until my time is up. Will cherish every moment.'
Larry Mize, the 1987 winner, told Golfweek: 'It was a great night - an emotional night. Ben (Crenshaw) made sure that tonight was all about Jon, Seve (Ballasteros) and Jackie Burke.'
Burke died on January 19 at the age of 100, only 10 days before his 101st birthday. He won the 1956 Masters.
The tradition of the Masters dinner goes back to 1952, when defending champion Ben Hogan formed the idea, calling for a 'stag party' of past Masters winners. The dinner that year was steak and potatoes but as time has gone on, winners typically choose a menu that reflects their roots.
'Everybody I talked to seems very excited about the menu, which, if anything, has put a lot more pressure on me, even though I’m not cooking,' Rahm said before his big night. 'I'm definitely a little nervous.'
Rahm, of course, hosts the dinner as the most notable recruit of the Saudi-backed LIV tour, now the figurehead of the rebel circuit that has plunged the game into civil war.
Rahm won the second major of his career last year at Augusta and is among the favorites to defend his title this time around
But a year later, the Spaniard Rahm rolls up to Augusta as the figurehead of the Saudi-backed rebel circuit in LIV Golf
As the key names made sure to play happy families at the dinner table, Rahm will have at least been flanked by fellow LIV rebels in Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Charl Schwartzel, Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia on the night.
Rahm made a $500million move to LIV Golf in December, meaning two of the four reigning major winners have left the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka won the 2023 PGA Championship.
Speaking on Sunday after LIV Golf Miami, Rahm admitted it would be a 'great story' if one of the 13 LIV players going to the Masters can emerge victorious at Augusta National.
The Spaniard said: 'I can’t tell you that I’m thinking about the players who should or shouldn’t be there.
'I think I have enough on my plate going into next week and trying to win another one.
'It’ll be a great story if one of us were to do it and it would be great to support it but not that it's going to be in my mind, no.'
The dinner is strictly for Masters champions - there were 33 in attendance in total for Rahm's big night - and Fred Ridley, the chairman of Augusta National.
There were two champions missing on the night - Angel Cabrera is barred from entering the United States after he was jailed for over two years for violence against two ex-girlfriends.
Sandy Lyle, meanwhile, missed the dinner because his wife Jolanda is unwell with inner ear issues.
Rahm and his fellow competitors at Tuesday night's dinner return to Augusta on Wednesday for the par-three contest before the action finally gets underway on Thursday.
Scottie Scheffler is most people's favorite to emerge victorious on Sunday, in what would be his second green jacket. Rory McIlroy, who of course has never won at Augusta, is also high in the running alongside Rahm and his LIV ally, Brooks Koepka.
QUIRKY CHAMPIONS DINNERS
2018 - Sergio Garcia: The Spaniard treated his guests to an international salad as a starter - with ingredients chosen to represent the countries of past Masters champions. The main course was 'arroz caldoso de bogavante', a traditional Spanish lobster rice.
But where Garcia's dinner stood out the most was his dessert. He served up 'Angela Garcia's tres leches cake'. The inspiration is in the name, with his wife providing the recipe.
2017 - Danny Willett: He went traditional - very traditional. After his sublime and dramatic victory at the 2016 Masters, the Englishman made the most of his opportunity by serving mini cottage pies as starters.
The Yorkshireman opted for Sunday roast as his main course (prime rib, roasted potatoes, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding). And for dessert, apple crumble and vanilla custard. He wasn't done there though as he also dished out coffee and tea with English cheese and biscuits.
2014 - Adam Scott: After missing out in 2011, the Australian went all out when he had his chance to impress three years later at the dinner. Scott went surf-and-turf on the grill, dishing Moreton bay bugs from Australia to go alongside the strip steak.
He said they are actually insect-like lobsters. 'I'm not going to serve up anything second rate tonight. I've got to go all-out to impress these guys.' Whether it worked out, who knows. But it was certainly brave.
2012 - Charl Schwartzel: After pipping Scott to the prestigious Green Jacket, Schwartzel served up a treat by going full BBQ style at Augusta.
An opening course consisted of a seafood bar, including shrimp, lobster and oysters. For his main, the champions dined on 'braai' - a South African barbecue - which includes lamb chops, steaks, and South African sausages. Dessert of vanilla ice cream sundae.
2009 - Trevor Immelman: A proud South African, Immelman well and truly was inspired by his place of birth while hosting his very own Champions Dinner.
After winning his only major at the Masters in 2008, the Cape Town-born golfer fed Nicklaus, Woods and Co South African bobotie - a minced meat pie dish with egg topping. He also provided a variety of popular local wines.
2005 - Phil Mickelson: Perhaps the most sophisticated dish. 'Lefty' wanted to bring some class to the dinner table following his first Masters victory in 2004.
Although from America, Mickelson went for an Italian meal by dishing out lobster ravioli in a tomato cream sauce, as well as caesar salad and garlic bread.
2004 - Mike Weir: He is the only Canadian to ever win the Masters and he stuck true to his roots by serving up elk & wild boar to golf icons, alongside local beers.
For those feeling less adventurous, Weir also gave them the option of fried chicken and filet mignon.
1998 - Tiger Woods: Remember, Woods was only 21 years of age and still very young on the golfing circuit when he hosted his first Champions Dinner. Maybe that explains why he went for... let's say a McDonald's selection.
The 14-time major winner served cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes to the likes of Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead. And ahead of the 2019 Masters, Woods revealed that hosting his first dinner was 'one of the most nervous moments of my life'.
1989 - Sandy Lyle: The Scotsman certainly made the most of his time in the spotlight. Following his only triumph at Augusta, Lyle decided to wear a kilt and served up Scottish speciality of Haggis.
After his bold choice, Lyle said: 'That seemed to make quite a statement. The older guys, like [Jack] Nicklaus, had been to Scotland and knew what haggis was. But the newer ones, guys like Larry Mize, they weren't too sure about that.'
1986 - Bernhard Langer: The year after winning the first of his two Green Jackets, Langer returned with a bit of German culture. He became one of the first golfers to personalise and bring a bit of his country's flavour to the table.
He opted for wiener schnitzel (breaded veal) and Black Forest cake - two popular foods in Germany.
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