Unveiling the Masters Dinner: Menu, Guests, and the Tab

For Rory McIlroy, claiming his fifth major title has brought him one step closer to fulfilling his golfing ambitions, and now he's set to host a special dinner at the Masters. This tradition, which began in 1952 when Ben Hogan invited past champions to dine together, is an exclusive annual event at Augusta National. The dinner, also known as the 'Champions Dinner', is only open to past winners of the Green Jacket and the current Masters chairman. McIlroy, who defeated Justin Rose in a playoff last year, will attend the dinner for the first time and has the privilege of setting the menu. As the reigning champion, McIlroy is also allowed to take his Green Jacket outside the gates of Augusta National. McIlroy expressed his gratitude for being part of the exclusive dinner club, saying, 'I want to share that with everyone in the room. It is the most exclusive dinner club in all of sport and I think we should all feel very fortunate that we are there.' The Champions Dinner will be held on the Tuesday of Masters week, and McIlroy has revealed his menu, which features dishes and wines with special significance to him. The menu includes bacon-wrapped dates inspired by his mother's cooking and yellowfin tuna carpaccio from his favorite New York restaurant. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be absent from this year's dinner due to personal reasons. All living past Masters champions are welcome to attend, and the evening promises to be a special one, with legends of the game sharing stories and reminiscing about their experiences. The cost of hosting the meal falls to the defending champion, and McIlroy's wine choices average over $1,000 a bottle. Despite the expense, McIlroy is excited to host the dinner and can't wait to share the experience with his fellow champions.