The Masters Champions Dinner has been a tradition since Ben Hogan started it in Augusta back in 1952. The previous year’s winner of the PGA Major tournament hosts the dinner. He picks out the menu for everyone to enjoy.
Jon Rahm’s spread for the 2023 event in April is all sorts of awesome. It includes Spanish tapas.
This got us thinking. What are the best Masters Champions Dinners of the modern era? Which one stands out above the rest? We rank the top 10 below.
Related: Everything You Need To Know About The Masters Tournament
10. Dustin Johnson (2020)
- Serving: Garden salad or caesar salad. Prime filet mignon with mashed potatoes and vegetables or miso marinated sea bass. Peach cobbler and apple pie with vanilla ice cream
I’ll pass on the salad. Thanks. But a main entree of either filet mignon or sea bass is pretty darn upscale. It’s pretty much what you’re going to get from a South Carolina native such as Dustin Johnson. He chose this Masters Champions Dinner after defeating Im Sung-jae and Cameron Smith by five strokes. Whatever floats your boat.
9. Danny Willett (2016)
- Serving: Mini cottage pies to start. Sunday roast with prime rib, roasted potatoes, veggies, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Apple crumb with vanilla custard for dessert.
A native of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, Willett went full home cooking with his option after defeating Jordan Spieth by three strokes in the 2016 Masters Tournament. If you’ve never had a cottage pie, you simply have not lived. It’s a pastry stuffed with minced meat and mashed potatoes. We’re also not going to knock Willett for his choice of a Sunday roast. Those a bit longer in the tooth remember when this was actually a thing during our childhoods. The apple crumb tops off this delicious feast. Well done, sir.
Related: Tiger Woods In Initial 2024 Masters Field
8. Mike Weir (2003)
- Serving: Lobster in puff pastry, board mushroom bundles, sockeye salmon tartare, asparagus salad, rack of elk, fried chicken, filet mignon and sauteed pompano
After defeating Len Mattiace in The Masters Playoffs the previous year, Weir served up one heck of a menu. The rack of elk is intriguing as all gets out. But imagine tasting on filet mignon and lobster in puff pastry. That’s all sorts of tasty.
7. Jon Rahm (2023)
- Serving: Spanish tapas. Included: Iberian ham, pork loin, black truffle, Spanish omelette, chicken fritters, crab salad, ribeye croqueta etc…
Rahm is not holding back in this year’s Masters Champions Dinner. Anyone who has had Spanish tapas either in Spain or elsewhere knows how much of a blast the feast can be. Think appetizers taken up a level. The ribeye croqueta is something I am completely down with. Same with the chicken fritters.
6. Hideki Matsuyama (2021)
- Serving: Assorted sushi, sashimi and chicken skewers. Miso glazed cod, Wagyu beef ribeye, mixed mushrooms and veggies
Matsuyama’s historic win at the 2021 Masters was followed up with the Japanese sensation bringing everyone in Augusta back to his native land. Assorted sushi and sashimi is one thing. But for those who are not fans of seafood, the chicken skewers and beef ribeye likely did the trick.
5. Tiger Woods (2002)
- Serving: Sushi, sashimi, Crab cakes. Porterhouse steak, asparagus, mashed potatoes and chocolate truffle cake.
Tiger went to his Asian roots with what has to be described as a fusion dinner after winning the first of back-to-back Masters titles. He also opted to serve porterhouse steak for those who are indifferent to seafood. That really is the best way to go. The chocolate truffle cake represented a nice ending, too.
Related: Tiger Woods Says PGA Tour Doesn’t Necessarily Need Saudi Money
4. Adam Scott (2013)
- Serving: Artichoke and arugula salad with calamari. Wagyu New York Strip Steak, Bay lobster, spinach, mashed potatoes and strawberry pavlova. Anzac biscuit and vanilla sundae.
Surprisingly, Scott did not necessarily go back to his native Australia for this Masters Champions Dinner. Sure the dessert of strawberry pavlova, anzac biscuit and vanilla sundae was definitely Aussie. But we love the NY Strip Steak and Bay lobster combination. Talk about surf and turf taken to the next level.
3. Jordan Spieth (2015)
- Serving: Texas BBQ. Beef brisket, smoked half chicken and pork ribs. Baked beans, bacon/chive potato salad, green beens. Warm chocolate-chip cookie and vanilla ice cream
Yes. So many yesses. Who doesn’t like good home barbecue? You’d have to lack any real type of taste not to enjoy what Spieth served a year after winning The Masters. Beef brisket? Pork ribs? Baked beans? Potato salad? Yes, I am salivating over this BBQ dinner taken up a notch.
2. Patrick Reed (2018)
- Serving: Caesar or wedge salad. Bone-in rib-eye steak, mac and cheese, creamed spinach, steamed broccoli and creamed corn. Tiramisu vanilla bean crème brûlée and a chocolate crunch and praline cheesecake.
A native of Texas, Reed went back to his roots to an extent with ribeye steak, mac and cheese and creamed spinach. I have no idea whether the food was done well. It’s always tricky, especially when it comes to the mac. Here in Las Vegas, it’s somewhat of an art form for chefs. The assumption is that those tasked with cooking this Masters Champions Dinner knew exactly what they were doing.
Related: Golfers Everywhere Can Relate To This Tee Shot By Tom Brady
1. Zach Johnson (2007)
- Served: Jumbo shrimp, crab cakes, veal ravioli, lobster bisque, prime filet mignon, ahi tuna, asparagus, potatoes, Iowa corn pudding, sweet potato casserole and spinach.
Talk about taking the game to an entirely new level. The shrimp and crab cakes themselves would have been enough. But adding in veal ravioli and filet mignon represented a major win for Zach Johnson after he won with a plus-one score. It also represents the bester Masters Champions Dinner to date.
