AUGUSTA, Ga. — There was a touch of consternation surrounding this year’s Masters Champions Dinner. The presence of LIV golfers will have that effect.
That said, it felt like all talk. What was really going to go down inside the Augusta National clubhouse? Hand-to-hand combat? Real Housewives-inspired table-flipping? A staged PGA Tour walk-out?
If a picture could say a thousand words, it was all talk. All appeared to be just fine on Tuesday night in second-floor library, where the 33 past champions in attendance were smiling from ear-to-ear in the annual photo:
Outside of the awkward gap between Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson, nothing seems amiss here.
Larry Mize, the 1987 champion, was the first to arrive just before 6 p.m. Scheffler pulled down Magnolia Lane soon after, and emcee Ben Crenshaw soon followed. Nick Faldo, holding a few Masters flags, rolled in next. Jack Nicklaus arrived fashionably late just before 6:30 p.m. and chatted with Scheffler for a bit before they headed into the clubhouse, where the defending champion served up one of the better meals we’ve seen in quite some time.
We obviously can’t confirm this, but we’re almost positive the cookie skillet was a hit.