Matsuyama to kick off Champions Dinner with sushi appetizer

Golf — The Masters — Augusta National Golf Club — Augusta, Georgia, U.S. — April 5, 2022 Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama during a press conference Eli Rehmer/Augusta National/Handout via REUTERS

AUGUSTA, Ga., April 5 (Reuters) — Hideki Matsuyama will host the traditional Champions Dinner at Augusta National later on Tuesday and has decided to serve up a meal with plenty of Japanese flair.

Matsuyama, who last year became the first Japanese man to win a major championship, decided on assorted sushi, sashimi and nigiri, as well as yakitori chicken skewers for appetizers.

The main dishes are miso-glazed black cod with dashi broth, and A5 Wagyu beef ribeye with mixed mushrooms and vegetables and Sansho daikon ponzu.

For dessert, Matsuyama picked Japanese strawberry shortcake, which the menu describes as a fluffy sponge cake with whipped cream and Amaou strawberries.

The Masters Champions Dinner tradition dates back to 1952 when Ben Hogan hosted the first one. Since then, some of the dining experiences have been more memorable than others.

After winning the 1988 Masters, Britain’s Sandy Lyle served up Scottish specialty haggis while Fiji’s 2000 champion Vijay Singh dished up one of the most popular meals with a Thai menu.

Britain’s three-times champion Nick Faldo opted for shepherd’s pie, Germany’s Bernhard Langer went for schnitzel and Canada’s Mike Weir selected caribou.

For the less adventurous, past champions can also order off the clubhouse menu at Augusta National.

Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto
Editing by Toby Davis

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