Jon Rahm’s Masters Champion Dinner revealed, features salivating Basque cuisine

One of Augusta National’s best traditions is the Champions Dinner, held annually on Tuesday evening of Masters week.

Only those players who have donned the green jacket are invited to attend, and the defending champion has the distinct honor of selecting the menu.

As such, Jon Rahm, who hails from the Basque Country in Northern Spain, has submitted his menu for this year’s dinner, which surely will not disappoint.

Masters champions will begin by indulging in tapas y pintxos, essentially appetizers. The menu lists six options for starters, all of which sound delightful.

Then, the first course will be Ensalada de Txangurro, a Basque crab salad. Given its proximity to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean, seafood has long been an essential feature of Basque cuisine.

The main course will then come out, as attendees will have the choice of a Basque Ribeye or Turbot, a highly valued European fish. Turbots are found in shallow, sandy European waters and are shaped like large discs. They are some of the most popular flatfish in the world and can grow up to 40 inches long.

White asparagus will accompany Turbot during Rahm’s dinner, while Tudela lettuce and piquillo peppers will serve as sides for the ribeye.

Both options sound delicious.

To wrap up, milhojas crema y nata, made of stacked layers of vanilla pastry, will be served for dessert.

All in all, it sounds like a five-star meal that will likely exceed expectations.

But as part of the dinner, the defending champion has the honor of sharing a few words about his experience as a Masters champion and what it means to him.

Two years ago, Hideki Matsuyama moved the room to tears with his speech, while Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, among others, have made endearing remarks in the past.

One year ago, Rahm had not yet joined LIV Golf. He played alongside Brooks Koepka in the final round at Augusta National, pitting the PGA Tour versus LIV on golf’s holiest grounds.

But now both players play on the Saudi-backed circuit, as Rahm joined Koepka there in December. Surely, his comments at this year’s dinner will be interesting, but knowing Rahm, his respect and admiration for the game, and his love for history, he will likely not say anything controversial or contriving.

Only those in attendance will know for sure, though. And to be there, you have to win a green jacket first.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.