AUGUSTA, Ga. – Masters champion Jordan Spieth expected the nerves to hit long before he is announced on the first tee Thursday.
Spieth had to host the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night, a great honor for any golfer, but a bit daunting for a 22-year-old in a room that included greats like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Ben Crenshaw.
“I imagine the chairman will maybe ask me to say a few words,” Spieth said before the dinner. “I’ll certainly think of something that makes sense, given the time. But I’ll probably do less talking and more listening tonight. There will be nothing that I’ve ever done before or will ever do that will match the first time talking to that audience. It’s a bit odd to think about.”
The reigning champion gets to set the menu, and the Dallas native went with salad greens, authentic Texas barbecue (beef brisket, chicken, pork ribs), barbecue baked beans, vegetables and a warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream.
Here is the menu @JordanSpieth selected for tonight’s Champions Dinner: pic.twitter.com/UBGspJA5pF
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 5, 2016
Only Masters champions are invited. Spieth’s caddie, Michael Greller, found that out the hard way from Spieth’s agent, Jay Danzi.
“At first I think he thought he was going to be able to be there,” Spieth said. “He was a bit surprised when … I think it was Jay who told him, ‘No, Michael, nobody goes.’ He was like, ‘This is going to be the coolest dinner ever.'”