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Rory McIlroy completed his career grand slam when he conquered Augusta for his first green jacket in 2025. On Tuesday, April 7, the reigning Masters Tournament champion hosts the 2026 Masters Champions Dinner and he's added some "wild" dishes and an extravagant wine selection to the menu.
McIlroy became one of six players to complete the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters, defeating Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff. The previous grand slam was achieved by five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods in 2000.
For more than 70 years, Masters winners have gathered at the Augusta National clubhouse for the Masters dinner, the event hosted and menu chosen by the defending champion.
"It's from the heart, personal experience and nostalgia, I guess," McIlroy said. "Can't wait to host the dinner on Tuesday night, and then obviously be a part of that tradition for many, many years tocome. So excited for that."
Here's what to know about Rory McIlroy's 2026 Masters Champions Dinner menu:
The Masters Champions Dinner started in 1952, after Ben Hogan, who'd won the 1951 tournament, invited then-Augusta National Chairman Clifford Roberts to a dinner for previous winners.
Roberts accepted and the first Champions Dinner, also known as Masters Club, was held Friday, April 4, 1952, at Augusta National’s clubhouse.
Nine Masters champions attended: Horton Smith, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Henry Picard, Jimmy Demaret, Craig Wood, Claude Harmon, Sam Snead and Hogan.
Since then, on Tuesdays during Masters week, the defending champion selects the menu and hosts the dinner for winners and the club chairman.
The defending champ also receives an inscribed gold locket in the form of the Augusta National Golf Club emblem.
“It’s a pendant that is supposed to go to your wife," Ben Crenshaw told Golf.com. "It’s a beautiful gold locket that opens up three ways and you open it up and it has a silhouette of the Augusta National clubhouse … Bobby Jones. … It’s just a beautiful piece of art.”
Yes. The defending Masters champion serves as host and pays for the dinner.
Tiger Woods ruptured his left Achilles tendon in March 2025.
By the time April and the Masters Tournament rolled around, the 15-time major winner still couldn't put weight on his foot and wasn't able to climb the Augusta National clubhouse stairs to attend the Masters Champions Dinner.
"We were putting our jackets away and the guys said that Tiger still can’t put weight on his foot," 1971 Masters winner Charles Coody told Golfweek in 2025. "They said his weight tolerance just isn’t there to climb up those stairs."
Continue reading...
McIlroy became one of six players to complete the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters, defeating Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff. The previous grand slam was achieved by five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods in 2000.
For more than 70 years, Masters winners have gathered at the Augusta National clubhouse for the Masters dinner, the event hosted and menu chosen by the defending champion.
"It's from the heart, personal experience and nostalgia, I guess," McIlroy said. "Can't wait to host the dinner on Tuesday night, and then obviously be a part of that tradition for many, many years tocome. So excited for that."
Here's what to know about Rory McIlroy's 2026 Masters Champions Dinner menu:
What is the Masters Champions Dinner?
The Masters Champions Dinner started in 1952, after Ben Hogan, who'd won the 1951 tournament, invited then-Augusta National Chairman Clifford Roberts to a dinner for previous winners.
Roberts accepted and the first Champions Dinner, also known as Masters Club, was held Friday, April 4, 1952, at Augusta National’s clubhouse.
Nine Masters champions attended: Horton Smith, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Henry Picard, Jimmy Demaret, Craig Wood, Claude Harmon, Sam Snead and Hogan.
Since then, on Tuesdays during Masters week, the defending champion selects the menu and hosts the dinner for winners and the club chairman.
The defending champ also receives an inscribed gold locket in the form of the Augusta National Golf Club emblem.
“It’s a pendant that is supposed to go to your wife," Ben Crenshaw told Golf.com. "It’s a beautiful gold locket that opens up three ways and you open it up and it has a silhouette of the Augusta National clubhouse … Bobby Jones. … It’s just a beautiful piece of art.”
Does the Masters champion pay for dinner?
Yes. The defending Masters champion serves as host and pays for the dinner.
Why didn't Tiger Woods go to the Masters Champions Dinner in 2025?
Tiger Woods ruptured his left Achilles tendon in March 2025.
By the time April and the Masters Tournament rolled around, the 15-time major winner still couldn't put weight on his foot and wasn't able to climb the Augusta National clubhouse stairs to attend the Masters Champions Dinner.
"We were putting our jackets away and the guys said that Tiger still can’t put weight on his foot," 1971 Masters winner Charles Coody told Golfweek in 2025. "They said his weight tolerance just isn’t there to climb up those stairs."
Continue reading...
