Masters Champions Dinner Brings Legendary Stories to Life

Jon Rahm shares hilarious tales involving Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros from the exclusive annual event.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 3:18pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, multi-angled scene of golfers gathered around a table, their forms and faces broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a palette of greens, reds, and browns, conveying the energy and camaraderie of the exclusive annual event.The Masters Champions Dinner brings together golf's greatest players to share their most cherished memories and celebrate the sport's rich history.Augusta Today

Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion, will attend the prestigious Masters Champions Dinner for the third time on Tuesday night. Rahm has experienced the event both as a host and as a guest, sitting alongside golf icons like Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods. Rahm recounts a particularly amusing story told by Bernhard Langer about a memorable moment at the 1997 Ryder Cup, which unfolded right in front of Woods and Mark O'Meara, much to their amusement.

Why it matters

The Masters Champions Dinner is a cherished tradition that allows past winners to share their most treasured memories and anecdotes from the tournament. These stories provide a rare glimpse into the camaraderie and respect shared among the game's greatest players, offering fans a deeper appreciation for the history and legacy of the Masters.

The details

At the dinner, Rahm was initially quite nervous, feeling the weight of sitting alongside so many legendary figures. However, the evening took an emotional turn when the conversation turned to the late Seve Ballesteros, whose birthday was on the same date as the dinner. Rahm was moved to hear the personal stories and tributes shared by Ballesteros' close friends and competitors, including Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal.

  • The 2026 Masters Champions Dinner took place on April 9th.
  • The 1997 Ryder Cup, which was the subject of Bernhard Langer's story, was held at Valderrama in Spain.

The players

Jon Rahm

The 2023 Masters champion, who has attended the Champions Dinner twice before as both a host and a guest.

Seve Ballesteros

The legendary Spanish golfer and four-time major champion, whose birthday was celebrated at the 2026 Champions Dinner.

Bernhard Langer

The German professional golfer, who told a humorous story about a memorable moment at the 1997 Ryder Cup.

Tiger Woods

The 15-time major champion, who was present when Langer told his story and was the subject of the anecdote.

Mark O'Meara

The 1998 Masters champion, who was also present when Langer told his story about the 1997 Ryder Cup.

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What they’re saying

“Being your own, quite nerve-racking, having to sit next to Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Ridley, and looking to your left and your right, seeing the icons of this game. Looking to my left and seeing Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus and a couple of spots down is Tiger and Mark O'Meara. You look straight ahead, and there's Gary Player and Nick Faldo. So very daunting, very daunting.”

— Jon Rahm, 2023 Masters Champion

“For somebody that's researched as much as possible, those are stories I've never heard and maybe they've never told anybody. It was quite unique to see a full room of grown men, in essence, acting like kids again because of the love they have for this game and the stories of Seve.”

— Jon Rahm, 2023 Masters Champion

“Bernhard kind of waves him off, chips out, hit it on the green, make for par. Americans three-putt. Then Bernhard said, 'I don't know who we were playing against, but that was great.' Right directly in front of him was Tiger (Woods) and Mark O'Meara, and both of them are going, 'that was against us.'”

— Jon Rahm, 2023 Masters Champion

What’s next

The 2027 Masters Champions Dinner is scheduled for April 8th, where the newest member of the exclusive club, the 2026 champion, will be welcomed and share their own stories.

The takeaway

The Masters Champions Dinner is a unique and cherished tradition that allows golf's greatest players to come together, share their most treasured memories, and celebrate the rich history and camaraderie of the game. These intimate gatherings provide fans with a rare glimpse into the personalities and relationships that define the sport's elite.