Rory McIlroy has prepared a menu for the Masters Club dinner that’s almost as dramatic as his back nine to win the green jacket at Augusta National.
The starter was his mother’s bacon-wrapped dates, and the side dish was Irish Champions, a taste of home in Northern Ireland.
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He chose local crispy Vidalia onion rings, which come from a 20-county region in southeast Georgia. and Georgia peach and ricotta bread.
No, it wasn’t just the yellowfin tuna carpaccio for the first course. Augusta National staff flew to his favorite New York restaurant, Le Bernardin, to meet with the chefs so they could prepare the dishes just the way McIlroy likes them.
The menu features 12 items, from appetizers to desserts, and four brands from Augusta National’s famous cellars.
On the surface, McIlroy has been planning to win the Masters for 17 years, culminating in a thrilling run last year that gave him a career grand slam.
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“I think it’s pretty presumptuous to have a menu in your head before you actually win a tournament,” McIlroy said on a conference call Wednesday. “But I’ve been thinking about, if I win the Masters one day, what do I want it to look like? What do I want to serve?”
The defending champion is the host of the Masters Club – also known as the “Champion’s Dinner” – a tradition that dates back to 1952. The dinner is only for Masters champions. Club President Fred Ridley is an honorary member. It takes place every Tuesday evening during Masters Week.
The host selects the menu and selects the tab.
Scottie Scheffler introduced Texas-style cowboy rib-eye steak, Texas-style chili and jalapeño creamed corn last year. Jon Rahm’s menu has a Spanish twist. Hideki Matsuyama of Japan eats sashimi. Sandy Lyle from Scotland serves haggis and Adam Scott from Australia serves Moreton Bay lobster. Players from 13 countries have won the Masters Championship.
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“No, it’s not something I imagined. I’m trying to be thoughtful about it,” McIlroy said. “Trying to incorporate some things that I like and some personal touches along the way. But at the same time, trying to put together a good enough menu that everyone can enjoy.”
Appetizers
Dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon. The recipe belongs to his mother, Rosie.
Grilled Elk Sliders (McIlroy said he ate a lot of elk before the Masters last year.)
Rock shrimp tempura
Georgia Peach and Ricotta Bread with Hot Honey
first course
Yellowfin tuna carpaccio
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“It’s a very thin slice of baguette with a very thin slice of foie gras and tuna carpaccio,” he said. “It’s a very simple dish, but every time we go to that restaurant (Le Bernardin), it’s the one thing I have to eat.”
main course
Wagyu filet mignon or grilled salmon
side dishes
Traditional Irish Champion (creamy mashed potatoes mixed with scallions, butter and milk)
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
Glazed Carrots with Brown Butter
Crispy Vidalia Onion Rings
dessert
Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and hot toffee sauce
wine cellar
2015 Salon “S” Brut Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Champagne
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2022 Domaine Leflaive, Batard-Montrachet
1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Pauillac, Bordeaux (“The wine I drank the night I won the Masters,” he says.)
1989 Chateau D’Yquem in Bordeaux Sauternes (“The year I was born, I thought every good meal should end with Chateau D’Yquem. It was like liquid gold,” he says.)
“I can’t wait to host the dinner on Tuesday night,” McIlroy said. “And then obviously, being a part of that dinner for many years to come.”
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AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
