Can Rory top his 2026 Masters menu in 2027
Past winners of the Masters assembled for the Champions Dinner, where they were treated to a menu arranged by defending champ Rory McIlroy.
THEY began the Champions Dinner ahead of the 2026 Masters with four choices of appetisers including Rory McIlroy’s mother’s recipe of bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese, rock shrimp tempura, Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread and grilled elk sliders.
The latter was a surprise selection, but McIlroy, as defending champion and the man responsible for the menu to feed the past Masters winners, explained the choice of the lean red meat by saying, “in the build-up to the Masters last year, I was eating a lot of elk.”
Then the first course of yellowfin tuna carpaccio came from his favourite restaurant in New York, Augusta chefs travelling to the Big Apple to learn the recipe.
For the main course, wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon were the choices on offer, while the sides included traditional Irish champ (a dish of creamy mashed potatoes with green onions, butter and milk) along with brussels sprouts, carrots and crispy onion rings from Vidalia, Georgia.
Sticky toffee pudding for dessert and a selection of champagne and wines that can be valued at up to $2,500 a bottle.
Among the wine list was a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild and a 1989 Chateau D’Yquem dessert wine, which he called “liquid gold.”
At previous Champions Dinners Hideki Matsuyama’s Japanese and Jon Rahm’s Spanish feasts were a hit, especially with seafood lovers.
And Adam Scott made sure his menu was uniquely Australian in 2014, flying in Morten Bay bugs, Australian wagyu beef for the steak and a pavlova with Anzac biscuits for dessert.
Scottie Scheffler’s dinner last year reportedly cost US$108 per plate, significantly less than the US$220 a head Matsuyama forked out in 2022 and the US$180 per person Rahm coughed up last year.
The cost of McIlroy’s dinner was set to come in at US$318 per head (AUD$460), somewhere around AUD$15,180 in total.
Now as the back-to-back champ, Rory will need to try to trump his 2026 menu with something equally original and appetising for 2027.
WINNER
The prize was a Husqvarna Automower® Aspire
R4 Robotic Lawn Mower and Installation Kit, valued at RRP $1,399, with professional installation, and we have a lucky winner.
Eddie Million, from Narellan Vale south west of Sydney, who plays his golf at the Camden Golf Club, will have the best-looking lawn in town after taking possession of his Husqvarna prize.
Eddie expressed to Inside Golf that he was a once a fortnight golfer, now with his set and forget Husqvarna Automower taking the hard work out of maintaining his lawn, the Camden course might just see him on a more regular basis.
Congratulations to Eddie and thanks to Husqvarna, for 30 years the leaders in robotic lawn care.
The Lakes to host the BMW Australian PGA
The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney will host the 2026 BMW Australian PGA Championship.
THE state of New South Wales will host the BMW Australian PGA Championship for the first time since 1998, with The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney confirmed as the venue for the 2026 event.
The tournament will tee off at The Lakes from November 26-29 as part of an agreement between the PGA of Australia and the NSW Government through Destination NSW.
No stranger to holding elite, international golf tournaments, The Lakes is already a three-time host of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, as well as eight editions of the Australian Open, which it last jointly hosted with The Australian Golf Club in 2023.
Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the NSW Government in bringing the BMW Australian PGA Championship back to Sydney.
“The city is synonymous with world-class sporting events and we are thrilled that we are able to return to The Lakes Golf Club. The venue has a rich history in hosting Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events, so we know we are in for a warm welcome in November.”
For the fifth consecutive year, the tournament will launch the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai and will be followed the next week by the Australian Open, this year to be played at Kingston Heath in Melbourne.
Tickets are now available to purchase via Ticketek.
Bingara Gorge Golf Course acquired by Golf NSW
Bingara Gorge Golf Course is set to become the new home of Golf NSW.
IN a landmark development, Bingara Gorge Golf Course is set to become the new home of Golf in New South Wales after the recent announcement that Golf NSW had purchased the course from Metro Property Development.
The deal, which fulfills a long-term strategic objective to establish a flagship ‘Home of Golf’ in the state, marks a significant step forward in establishing Wilton, located some 80km southwest of the Sydney CBD, as a premier golfing and lifestyle destination.
Bingara Gorge spans 90 hectares and features an 18-hole, par-72 championship course with a maximum length of 6,690 metres. Designed by Graham Marsh, it has long been a centrepiece of the Bingara Gorge community.
“Bingara Gorge offers a rare opportunity to secure a premium course in one of the state’s fastest growing regions. Our vision is to enhance the course to championship level, whilst offering an accessible, fun and inclusive experience for golfers of all standards and demographics,” Golf NSW Chief Executive Officer Stuart Fraser said.
The acquisition provides Golf NSW with a flagship facility to inclusively grow the game across all demographics, host key golfing events, support the growth of junior golf, establish facilities to develop future stars of the game and offer publicly accessible golf on a truly ‘championship’ course.
The sale includes the full 18 holes and associated golf infrastructure, with Golf NSW to formally commence management of golfing operations at Bingara Gorge Golf Course in June 2026.
As part of its long-term plans, Golf NSW intends to base an administration office, high-performance training facilities and event operations within the clubhouse/pro shop precinct beside the future hotel and The Wilton (country club) on The Irons Drive.
Golf operations were set to continue as normal during the transition, and the course will remain open to the community and public.
The post News, views and observations from around the golfing world first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.
Article Link: https://www.insidegolf.com.au/news/insidegolfnews/news-views-and-observations-from-around-the-golfing-world/