“We’re a fraternity” - Ben Crenshaw, others pleased with Jon Rahm's 2024 Masters champions dinner with PGA Tour and LIV Golfers
Ben Crenshaw, along with other Masters winners, expressed their delight in attending Jon Rahm's Champions Dinner. The annual Masters Champions Dinner took place at Augusta on Tuesday, April 9, with former tournament champions in attendance.
Rahm clinched the Masters title last year, triumphing over Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka. However, his subsequent move to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League later in the year stirred controversy within the golf community.
Despite now playing on the Saudi Circuit, Rahm retains a lifetime exemption to compete at the Masters. Being the defending champion at the Masters, Rahm hosted the dinner for fellow event winners.
This marked the first occasion since his contentious switch to LIV that Rahm mingled with PGA Tour players, drawing significant attention from fans curious about the dynamics. Interestingly, amid the ongoing debate surrounding both golf series, Ben Crenshaw and his peers expressed satisfaction with Rahm's Champions Dinner.
Reflecting on the annual gathering, Crenshaw stated (as reported by Golf Week):
"We’re a fraternity."
Furthermore, Charles Coody also shared positive sentiments about the dinner, dubbing it as "a wonderful night." He said:
“It couldn’t have been more congenial. Even Tom Watson at the very end of dinner, he stood from his chair and said how happy he was to see the camaraderie within our group. It was a wonderful night.”
It is important to note that Ben Crenshaw secured victory at the Masters twice. He first won the Masters in 1984 where he outplayed Tom Watson by two strokes. He clinched the Major again in 1995, sealing a one-stroke victory over Davis Love III.
Jon Rahm set to tee with PGA Tour players Matt Fitzpatrick and Nick Dunlap at the Masters 2024
Jon Rahm is set to join the esteemed field of competitors at the Masters, featuring both PGA Tour and LIV golfers. He will tee off alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Nick Dunlap for the tournament's first two rounds.
Rahm will tee off for the first round on Thursday, April 11, at 10:30 a.m. ET. The opening shots of the day will be taken at 8 a.m. ET by Erik Van Rooyen and Jake Knapp.
Thirteen LIV players will participate in this week's tournament, of whom Phil Mickelson will tee off with Sepp Straka and Tony Finau, while Cameron Smith will be paired with Wyndham Clark and Viktor Hovland.
Charl Schwartzel, Bryson DeChambeau, and Sergio Garcia are set to play in the morning. Bubba Watson will commence his game at 12:36 p.m. ET, playing alongside Nicolai Hojgaard and Adam Schenk, while Patrick Reed will join Sungjae Im and Kurt Kitayama.
Dustin Johnson, another LIV player competing this week, will tee off on Thursday in a group with Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood.