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Much like the Masters, the PGA Championship has its own champions dinner. It is not as heralded as the Masters', but it does function in a similar capacity. The reigning champion, in this case, Brooks Koepka, will give a speech and host a celebratory dinner ahead of the official tournament.
The contest will begin on Thursday, and the past champions will dine together before that. Here's who should be there.
Who will attend the PGA Championship champions dinner?
Just like at Augusta National, all former winners of the PGA Championship earn a lifetime invitation back. Those who are still living can always come play the tournament every single year, though it is not at the same venue every time. Last year, it was held at Oak Hill. This year, it will be at Valhalla.
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Aside from Brooks Koepka, all the other previous champions who are part of the field in this year's tournament will attend. That includes Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, Collin Morikawa, Jimmy Walker, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer, Y.E. Yang, Padraig Harrington, Tiger Woods, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, and finally, John Daly.
Other champions of other Major tournaments, such as Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Brian Harman, Shane Lowry, Cameron Smith, or Bryson DeChambeau, will also be invited to the tournament. However, only those who have won the PGA Championship itself will be invited to the dinner.
This is not the first champions dinner hosted by a LIV Golf member. Jon Rahm hosted the Masters Tournament dinner in 2024 after he won the Masters in 2023. This is, however, the first time the reigning champion and host was with LIV at the time of his victory.
Since LIV's inception, they've had just one Major winner: Koepka at the 2023 PGA Championship. That makes this an interesting dinner for the state of golf, which is currently at least a little bit divisive.
However, with the merger coming eventually, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Even Brandel Chamblee, a former PGA Tour player turned analyst who has been staunchly anti-LIV, has changed his tune on the merger.
Rory McIlroy, who will attend the dinner as well, has gone from being a major LIV detractor to being very open to a merger and understanding of those who've made the decision to defect. The chasm that split golf seems to be shrinking.
That could ease the awkwardness of the two sides being together here, even for Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. The departure of Mickelson left many, including Woods, feeling disappointed.
Justin Thomas hosted the most recent champions dinner after he defeated Will Zalatoris by three strokes in the 2022 iteration of the PGA Championship.
