[Masters] Matsuyama's 'Wagyu', Johnson's 'Filet Mignon', Woods' 'Chicken Fajita'... "What Will Be the All-Time Best Champions Dinner?"

Hogan's Tradition of Hosting Defending Champions Since 1952 with Dinner for Past Winners, Global Cuisine Competition, Im Sungjae Promises 'Korean-Style Marinated Ribs'

Tiger Woods won the Masters five times, achieving back-to-back victories in 1997 and 2001-2002, as well as wins in 2005 and 2019, and he also prepared the 'Champions Dinner' five times.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Wagyu and sushi."

This is Hideki Matsuyama's (Japan) ‘Champions Dinner’ menu this year. The Masters is famous for its unique tradition where the defending champion hosts a dinner for past winners on the eve of the tournament. It was started by Ben Hogan in 1952. Recent menus have drawn more spotlight by carefully selecting hometown or national specialty dishes, such as Dustin Johnson’s 2021 ‘Filet Mignon and Salmon,’ Tiger Woods’ 2020 ‘Chicken Fajitas and Steak,’ and Patrick Reed’s 2019 ‘Cowboy Ribeye Course.’

◆ Woods: "From a kid’s palate to grown-up food" = Woods, who has won five times, especially stands out. After becoming the youngest Masters champion in 1997, he attracted attention in 1998 with kid-friendly menus like cheeseburgers, French fries, and milkshakes. In the following years of his back-to-back wins in 2001-2002, the menu was elevated to steak, chicken breast, and sushi. After his four wins in 2005, the 2006 dinner evolved into fajitas with Mexican fried rice and grilled beans.

2019 was particularly memorable as it marked his first win in 14 years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Champions Dinner’ was held belatedly in November 2020, with social distancing measures in place, at the spacious lower floor of the clubhouse. Chicken fajitas are a Mexican style dish where finely chopped chicken, vegetables, and sauce are wrapped in tortillas. "Being from Southern California, I ate this a lot growing up," he explained. The dessert included shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado, and churros.

In 2011, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel personally grilled South African barbecue to serve at the 2012 'Champions Dinner'.

◆ Culinary showdown from around the world: "What are the all-time best menus?" = Johnson’s menu featured sausage bread, lobster, and fried corn as appetizers, with filet mignon steak and Japanese-style miso-based sea bass as the main course. This was accompanied by peach cobbler, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream. Reed (both from the U.S.) initially considered a large ‘Tomahawk steak’ but replaced it due to table size constraints, opting instead for ‘Cowboy Ribeye’ with additions like corn cr?me br?l?e, creamed spinach, tiramisu, and cheesecake.

The all-time standout menu was undoubtedly the ‘Moreton Bay Bugs and Pavlova’ presented in 2014 by Adam Scott (Australia), the first Australian to win the Masters in 2013. Due to the connotation of ‘bugs,’ there were concerns it might be a repulsive dish. However, Scott proudly stated, "It’s an Australian traditional dish," adding, "Once you taste it, you’ll fall in love." Moreton Bay bugs are crustaceans with dark red shells and short, narrow tails. The dessert was Pavlova, a traditional Australian fruit pie imbued with a mother’s homemade touch.

There are also unfamiliar dishes like ‘Wiener Schnitzel’ and ‘Haggis.’ Wiener Schnitzel is a veal cutlet introduced in 1985 by 1984 champion Bernhard Langer (Germany). Sandy Lyle (England), the 1987 champion, showed great passion by appearing in 1988 dressed in a kilt (traditional Scottish male skirt) and serving haggis, a dish made from minced sheep’s offal. The 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) also wore an apron in 2012, serving South African-style barbecue with monkey sauce.

Sungjae Im pledged to prepare "Korean traditional marinated ribs" if he wins the Masters.

◆ Im Sung-jae: "I want to serve Korean-style marinated ribs" = It is interesting that Im Sung-jae finished as runner-up at the ‘Autumn Masters’ in November 2020. On the final day, he showcased exceptional power competing in the champion group with Johnson. Before the tournament, he made a pledge to prepare ribs for the ‘Champions Dinner,’ which deserves attention. "I think players from all countries will like it," he said, adding, "I will grill it myself."

‘Tank’ K.J. Choi (52, SK Telecom) once caused a stir with his bombshell remark that “savory cheonggukjang would be meaningful.” Yang Yong-eun (50) chose ‘kimchi jjigae and boiled pork slices.’ Although not at the Masters, he defeated Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship and rose to the ranks of major champions. At the 2010 dinner, he selected fusion Korean dishes including bulgogi, dried fish jerky, five-colored wheat wraps, skewered meat, large shrimp pine nut salad, and wrap vegetables. Park Hyo-nam, executive chef at Millennium Hilton Seoul Hotel, rushed to the site to prepare the meal.