The PGA Tour is all about traditions and legacy. And what better way to celebrate the legacy of all the Masters so far in a neat tradition like the Champions Dinner? Like every year, on the Tuesday evening before the event kicks off, all former green jacket holders were invited to the dinner “Served in Honor of Mr. Scottie Scheffler.” Of course, everything on the menu was hand-picked by the reigning champion Scottie Scheffler who was in a mood of moving on from some things.
Seemingly, he skipped the unanimously-“spicy” tortilla soup from 2023’s menu. But what caught everyone’s eyes was that he also fanned out the fire that Phil Mickelson set. Back in mid-March, Lefty had a hot take that not just once, but targeted Scottie twice.
First, it was his comment on Torque GC’s tweet, “Joaquín Niemann has got to be a top 5 player in the world right now. Currently sits at the top of the leaderboard in Singapore for his 2 win of the season and 4th in @livgolf_league 🔥 Vamos Joaco 🇨🇱.” In the comment, Mickelson wrote, “Top 5? Try #1”
You see, the LIV Golf members are not able to add to their OWGR numbers since LIV does not have the affiliation. Hence, since he joined the Dubai-based league, his ranking has been stagnant on the 81st rank. Joaquin won his fourth LIV Golf title at that point and 2 of 3 LIV Golf league events, making a name for himself. But if this jab at Scheffler, who currently stands at the top of the leaderboards in OWGR, was not enough, Phil had more coming.
When Trevor Immelman shared the previous comment on his X with the caption, “Hot take from PM. Lets hear your guys thoughts during the weather delay…,” Mickelson responded again, “Here’s a hot take Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.”
However, when NUCLR GOLF tweeted, “🚨🏆❌ Phil Mickelson says world #1 Scottie Scheffler won’t win again before the 2025 Ryder Cup. Additionally, Phil said earlier today that world #81 Joaquin Niemann is the best player in the world currently. Thoughts? ” Phil quickly took his steps back as he mentioned, “Lighten up everyone 😂😂 Just having a little fun 👍👍”
Well, that was a whirlwind of takes by the former Masters. But to Scottie, these tweets did not mean much as he visibly got past them. And we have proof.
Highlighting the legendary dining experience, the Master’s official Instagram account shared a group photo. Scheffler took the center with Fred Ridley on the left and Ben Crenshaw on the right. But if you see right behind Scottie, it’s the 54-year-old LIV golfer. However, there was one huge name missing from the room– Tiger Woods.
This year, Woods missed the Champions Dinner once again but this time, it was a medical condition. The 15-time major champion had shared about his Achilles tendon injury that ruled him out of the Masters, other tours, and even events like the Champions Dinner.
Now, with the close position, the golfers Scottie and Phil might have seemed to have found a common ground. Even though the golfers have found peace, and the dinner went without the GOAT, the fans weren’t the happiest despite having 32 of 35 winners in a single frame. The fans started a long spree of comments about this.
Fans missed Tiger Woods at the Masters Champion Dinner
The G.O.A.T. missing from the picture left the golf community disheartened, as the comments spree had the majority asking and sharing thoughts about his absence. One of the fans wrote, “No Tiger hurts to the core…”
While the reaction makes sense, this isn’t the first time for Tiger. He missed the 2021 Masters Dinner due to his recovery from a serious car accident on February 23, 2021. At the time, Woods was recovering from multiple fractures in his right leg and ankle, and he underwent several surgeries to repair the damage. His recovery from these injuries, including months of rehabilitation, prevented him from attending the Champions Dinner in April 2021.
For now, the golf world was expecting his presence at the dinner, but it did come as a surprise. Another joined writing, “I know he’s got a ruptured Achilles, but it hurts to see this pic with no Tiger in it.” The golfer who has been struggling with injuries for the past few years has been showing up to the dinners and tournaments. And it is truly painful to see that the player who changed the game for good is not wearing his green jacket and celebrating Scottie with the rest. But now that his surgery has taken him longer to recover, it becomes unusual for the fans not to see him.
More netizens joined in, writing,
“Legends, but where is Tiger?” and “Not the same without the 🐐.” The golfer who has attended all Champion Dinners since his debut in 1995 (except 2021) is now absent, making the fans question his health and update on the injury.
Despite the legends, it feels incomplete not to have him in the frame. Even Min Woo Lee, who recently won the Houston Open, shared his thoughts. He wrote,
“No Tiger 😩 .” The Australian professional who has been seen interacting and taking advice from the G.O.A.T. has also shared his disbelief at Woods missing the prestigious dinner. The next opportunity to see him in the green jacket will hopefully come in 2026.
With the golfer missing and the relations calming down between Mickelson and Scheffler, the golf community has posed mixed opinions. What are yours? Share in the comments below!
