Rory McIlroy missing two big names from Masters | Golf News

PGA Tour standout Rory McIlroy is making ready to host the most important dinner of his skilled golf profession at Augusta National, but the event he is pursued for years will unfold without two of the event’s most distinguished champions.

For the first time since 1994, neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson will attend McIlroy’s Masters Champions Dinner on April 7, delivering both a personal and symbolic setback before the event, slated for April 9 through 12.

McIlroy secured internet hosting privileges after finally reaching the profession Grand Slam with his much-anticipated Masters Tournament triumph last season. The milestone got here after 11 years of pursuing the ultimate victory required to declare the accomplishment. This follows Tiger Woods’ 4-word response to Vanessa Trump that left her completely livid.

Augusta National has formally announced that Woods will neither compete in nor attend the event. Woods serves as McIlroy’s childhood hero and enduring pal. The pair collectively operate the TGL golf league and have emerged as influential figures in the PGA Tour’s persevering with discussions with the Public Investment Fund and LIV Golf.

Tiger will probably be absent from the dinner as he takes time away from golf to prioritize his health and recovery following his March 27 DUI-related car crash.

Prior to the crash, Woods had indicated he could be at Augusta regardless of whether or not he competed, to attend McIlroy’s Champions dinner and to personally witness his new nine-hole course on the property, recognized as The Loop.

Woods also missed the 2025 dinner for Scottie Scheffler while recuperating from a ruptured Achilles and persistent back issues. Beyond missing the Champions dinner, Woods is reportedly also navigating the breakdown of his relationship with Vanessa Trump.

Mickelson’s absence comes after the three-time Masters champion withdrew from the 2026 event due to a household health matter. His attendance at the dinner would have represented a full-circle second for McIlroy, as his rival-turned-mentor had supplied steerage forward of his Augusta victory.

Woods and Mickelson collectively maintain eight Green Jackets between them and have been fixtures at Augusta for a long time. Tiger holds the excellence of being the event’s youngest winner, while Mickelson boasts the most complete scores of 280 or better at the course.

Approximately 32 former champions are anticipated to be in attendance, including legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson, alongside latest title holders including Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Hideki Matsuyama.

McIlroy’s specifically curated menu was priced at $318 per plate, and both Woods and Mickelson will miss out on appetizers that embody grilled elk sliders, bacon-wrapped dates impressed by his mom, rock shrimp tempura, and a Georgia peach-and-ricotta flatbread.

Also featured on the menu is a yellowfin tuna carpaccio, impressed by New York‘s Le Bernardin, serving as the main course option, with friends subsequently selecting between Wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon.

Accompanying sides embody conventional Irish champ, Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, and crispy Vidalia onion rings, with a sticky toffee pudding rounding out the meal, paired alongside a 1990 Château Lafite Rothschild and a 1989 Château d’Yquem.

This comes as the eye-watering invoice McIlroy faces for his Masters dinner has been revealed — making it the most pricey on file.