Did you know the PGA Championship also hosts a champions dinner?

Turns out the Masters isn’t the only major that gathers its former winners on the eve of the tournament. Here’s what we know about the PGA Championship champions dinner…

Xander Schauffele will have the honor of hosting the PGA Championship champions dinner this year.

The American, who made his major breakthrough at Valhalla 12 months ago, has opted for a simple menu as he prepares for what will be the first of two major defences in 2025.

“I didn’t go do anything unique,” he explained. “I’d say it was sort of middle of the road – a steak option, a fish option.

“I wanted everyone to be happy or to be able to eat whatever they’d like.”

But it’s not just food provided by the host. He is also expected to dish out gifts to each former champion in attendance.

Schauffele says he has gone for something “pretty on brand”.

You’ve already guessed it, haven’t you?

“A humidor and some cigars,” he confirmed.

“I think the gift is pretty fitting for everyone. I think they’ll enjoy it, and if they don’t like it, they can re-gift it pretty easily.”

Another difference to the Masters equivalent is that spouses and family members are invited to the PGA Championship champions dinner. Each former winner also receives a $3,000 stipend to attend, as well as a 1099 form. (This, for people reading outside of the United States, is used to report certain types of non-employment income to the taxman.)

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So when did the PGA Championship champions dinner become a thing?

When PGA president Warren Cantrell approached defending champion Bobby Nichols ahead of the 1965 tournament at Laurel Valley, Pennsylvania, and asked him to host a dinner for previous winners, Nichols had one question.

“I asked Warren who was paying for the dinner,” he recalled. “Do I pay for it as host? Cantrell said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.’ I said I would be honored.”

Nichols also wanted to know if there was anything special he needed to say. “He said I should just talk about the past year and his win,” he added.

The PGA Championship champions dinner was born.

In a 2024 interview with Golfweek, Nichols told a great story about how he pranked 1942 champion Sam Snead that night.

“We had the best turn out,” he said. “Every past champion you could think of that was alive was there, even Paul Runyan, who was the elder statesman.

“We had the dinner and so forth and it came time to say a few words. So I said, ‘Fellas, this has been a highlight of my career to hear your stories from the past but now we have to figure out how to pay for this dinner. I think the best thing to do is have each past champion pay for the dinner, and we’ll start with nineteen-forty…’ Before I could say ‘two’, Sam Snead stood up and shouted out, ‘Bullshit!’ And he headed for the exit.

“Everyone died laughing. ‘Come back, Sam!’ Luckily the PGA paid for the dinner. I think it cost something like $680. That may not sound like a lot of money but it was in that day.” 

That’s just shy of $7,000 in today’s money, if you’re interested.

Also, if you didn’t know about the PGA Championship champions dinner, don’t feel bad. Neither did Collin Morikawa. Apparently, the 2020 winner rocked up at Kiawah Island a year later with absolutely no idea.

Awkward.