Jordan Spieth’s Masters win in 2015 was nothing short of historic, but that win didn’t come alone. It brought a responsibility to serve the past champions at next year’s Masters dinner, and this responsibility caused some anxiety for Spieth.

“I didn’t really know what to do. I was 21, and I was super nervous. You’re speaking in that room, and you’re just like, ‘I don’t know what to say to these guys,’” Spieth told Kira K. Dixon on the last episode of Under the Umbrellas, a daily conversational series exploring the tournament’s traditions.

Despite the pressure, he stood confident and told the staff all about his menu while conveying how honored he felt doing so. After all, the room was filled with champions like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

“I pretty much was like, ‘This is what I’m serving on the menu and what an honor to be in here,’” he said. “I looked up to everybody in that room. Everyone in this room is the reason I am here. It’s so special to be able to sit here from now on. I hope I can host more. I probably didn’t say that, but I was thinking that.”

He tried to keep things as short as possible because Ben Crenshaw, the unofficial host and chairman, often gives some intriguing remarks. The 2016 Masters dinner was the last one for Palmer. Naturally, much of the attention shifted from Spieth to Palmer. And he seemed grateful for that. Of course, Jordan Spieth was still a part of the conversation. He even heard his mentions in conversations with Nicklaus and Palmer.

Even in 2016, Spieth admitted that serving the past champions was the most nerve-racking thing he did that week. After all, as a champion who matched Tiger Woods’ scoring record with a four-shot win, everyone had high expectations for Spieth.

He became the youngest player to lead the event after the first round. After hitting an eight-under 64 on day one, he led by a margin of three shots. He broke the 54-hole record by hitting a 16-under 200 through the first three rounds. However, a bogey in the final round put him at 18-under and tied him with Woods’s 1997 Masters score, making him the second youngest golfer to win the tournament.

But how did he manage to work with Augusta National Golf Club to curate that menu?

Spieth said, “Well, they consulted with some barbecue masters from a couple of places down in Austin and put it all together, and upscale barbecue. And it was really good. I got complimented by a lot… The older guys want simple. They don’t want to go crazy. And it was simple enough. There was some spice to it that some avoided.”

Spieth hails from Dallas, Texas. His schooling happened at St. Monica Catholic School and Jesuit College Preparatory School, both pretty established institutions in Texas. Even his collegiate career revolved around that state, as he played for the University of Texas at Austin. Hence, it wasn’t a surprise for many when he settled for some barbecue for the menu.

Along with a main course of Texas barbecue, he chose sides of local greens salad, barbecue baked beans, bacon, sauteed green beans, grilled zucchini, chive potato salad, and for dessert, a chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream. And for the barbecue, he selected beef brisket, smoked half chicken, and pork ribs.

But despite all the efforts, Spieth’s menu had some hiccups.

Jordan Spieth’s Masters dinner still had a little confusion

The confusion around Spieth’s traditional Texas barbecue was actually around the brand. Back in March 2016 (a few days ahead of the Masters dinner), 2x Masters champion Crenshaw claimed that Spieth had chosen Salt Lick Barbecue for the Masters dinner menu. He even called it a wonderful choice from Austin.

However, a day later, Jordan Spieth came out clean and cleared the confusion. Spieth went to college in Austin, but that’s not where his menu was inspired from.

Spieth clarified, “I didn’t select Salt Lick. I don’t know where that was spread from. Augusta National always makes the meals. So they asked, ‘What do you want to have for your meal?’ and I said I’d love to do some Texas barbecue. So they go out and search for a way to make it based on popular places.”

He wasn’t sure of what exactly he wanted to put on the menu, but he was sure it would contain a choice of Texan meats as the main meal.

Unlike Spieth’s simple menu, Rory McIlroy has gone a bit beyond simplicity to curate the menu for the 2026 Masters dinner. However, he decided to highlight his background through the classic Irish Champ, a simple mashed potato dish with butter, milk, and scallions. But do you think McIlroy would feel the same nervousness while addressing the past Masters champions this time?