All eyes (and stomachs) are on the 2026 Masters this week, as the world’s best prepare for the first major championship of the season. Reigning champion Rory McIlroy will arrive at Augusta National Golf Club with the green jacket in one hand and a dinner menu in the other as the most recent grand slam champion is set to host the annual Champions Dinner ahead of the tournament.
Recent champions like Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama have paid homage to their roots with dishes from their home countries or local areas, and while McIlroy gives nods to his roots and upbringing with his menu, he didn’t opt for a full Irish spread.
Asked Tuesday why he chose not to follow in the footsteps of some of his fellow recent champions and showcase Ireland’s cuisine, McIlroy quipped, “Because I want to enjoy the dinner as well.”
The result is an eclectic menu and a robust wine list that McIlroy hopes will be a crowd-pleaser, and reading through the offerings it’s hard to find any fault in his selections.
McIlroy’s menu features four appetizers, including bacon-wrapped dates, which he noted were inspired by his mother. He also revealed that, leading up to his 2025 victory, he was eating a lot of elk — hence the grilled elk sliders. Peach and ricotta flatbread and rock shrimp tempura round out the appetizers.
Following the first course of yellowfin tuna carpaccio, McIlroy will serve wagyu filet mignon, for those who prefer red meat, and seared salmon, for those who prefer seafood. His dessert will be sticky toffee pudding, which he expects to be a popular choice.
While McIlroy focused on the food portion of the menu, he left no stone unturned when it came to the champagne and wine selection.
“The fun part was getting access to that wonderful wine cellar that [Augusta National] has,” McIlroy said. “I’m excited to share those wines with everyone tonight as well.”
The 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac is particularly meaningful to McIlroy as he drank it with friends and family the night of his victory in 2025.
In addition to selecting the evening’s courses, McIlroy will be responsible for giving a speech in front of his fellow Masters champions and grand slam winners like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who will all be in attendance. Others like Fred Couples, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Jose Maria Olazabal, Nick Faldo and Ben Crenshaw will be there as well.
Fun stories always seem to trickle out from the evening’s festivities. In 2022, Couples called Matsuyama’s speech, which was delivered entirely in English, “the coolest thing” he had ever witnessed at the dinner. The next year, several champions were forthcoming with their thoughts about the tortilla soup featured on Scheffler’s menu; Danny Willett giving an apt description of the spiciness level.
“I ate it,” Willett said. “But I did look over at Scottie and ask if he was trying to kill us.”