Annual Masters ‘Champions Dinner’
In 1952, Ben Hogan arranged a dinner for all previous Masters champions. The year following Ben Hogan’s inaugural sitting, the dinner was formalized. What Augusta National officially calls the “Masters Club” is known to most golf fans as the “Champions Dinner.” Every year, former Masters champs return to Augusta for the affair, which takes place on the Tuesday night of tournament week. The previous year’s champion gets to select the menu and serves as host for the dinner. At the dinner, he is presented with an inscribed gold locket as his welcome into the Masters Club. With Adam Scott ready to serve up some ‘bugs’ from the land down under in the coming hours, let’s take this chance to take a walk down memory lane, through the menus of the last 20 Master’s ‘Champions Dinners’.
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Phil Mickelson hosted the Champions Dinner for a third time in 2011.
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CREDIT: BARRY KOENIG/AUGUSTA NATIONAL
Adam Scott, 2014: Moreton Bay ‘bugs’ (lobster), pavlova (meringue dessert).
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Adam Scott celebrates his playoff win at the 2013 Masters with caddie Steve Williams who was celebrating his 4th win at Augusta.[/caption]
CREDIT: SIMON BRUTY/SI
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. Desert 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 (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 coleslaw.
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.
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Tiger in his ‘Sunday Red’ celebrating with caddy Steve Williams after his famous chip on the 16th hole of the final round in’05, on his way to his 4th Masters Championship.[/caption]
CREDIT: NEIL LEIFER/SI
Phil Mickelson, 2005: Lobster ravioli in tomato cream sauce, Caesar’s salad, garlic bread.
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Phil Mickelson birdied the 18th hole to win his first major at the 2004 Masters.[/caption]
CREDIT: ROBERT BECK/SI
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 (a Spanish rice dish) and hake (whitefish), plus tapas.
Bernhard Langer, 1994: Turkey and dressing, black forest torte.
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Bernhard Langer receiving his second career green jacket from Fred Couples, after making an eagle on 13 and a birdie on 15 to cruise to a four-shot win in 1993.[/caption]
CREDIT: JACQUELINE DUVOISIN/SI
