'We're A Fraternity' - Seve Stories Shared At Jon Rahm's 'Emotional' Masters Champions Dinner

After his victory last year, Jon Rahm hosted Tuesday's Champions Dinner ahead of The Masters as the "fraternity" of Green Jacket winners celebrated the Spaniard's success.

After his switch last year, Rahm is the first LIV Golf star to host the Champions Dinner, but the evening was about golf camaraderie and not politics.

"It couldn’t have been more congenial," 1971 champion Charles Coody told Golfweek as they got a flavour of the night behind the scenes.

After winning The Masters on Seve Ballesteros' birthday last year, Rahm aptly hosted the Champions Dinner on the day the great man would have turned 67, and the memories of the two-time champion flowed.

"We're a fraternity," said Ben Crenshaw, who takes charge of proceedings at the dinner. 

Crenshaw made sure that Rahm was welcomed into that Green Jacket fraternity with a golden locket shaped as Augusta National clubhouse, and also kept the Seve stories going - along with honouring 1956 champion Jackie Burke who died just before his 101st birthday this January.  

“It was a great night; an emotional night,” said 1987 winner Larry Mize. “Ben made sure that tonight was all about Jon, Seve and Jackie Burke.”

According to Golfweek, several of the past champions at the dinner said Phil Mickelson was quiet again, just like last year, and did not give a toast despite being big friends with Rahm.

The Spaniard served up a menu from his native Basque region in Spain, including plenty of tapas dishes and main courses of ribeye steak or fish.

There were 33 past champions at the dinner, with just Angel Cabrera and Sandy Lyle missing - the Argentinian obviously due to his issues following being in prison, and the Scotsman staying away to be with his wife.

Jolanda Lyle is suffering with inner ear problems and the 1988 champion opted to remain at home with her.

“Jolanda tried to get Sandy to come,” Mize said. “But he didn’t want to come without her.”

Coody summed the night up as "wonderful" as one of the traditions that make becoming Masters champion so special.

"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," Coody added. "It was a wonderful night.”

Jose Maria Olazabal on Rahm's Champions Dinner:

"Well, obviously, first of all, Jon being there at the end of the table as last year's champion, it was very special," he said.

"It was phenomenal to see him there. Secondly, and I would say more importantly, yesterday would have been Seve's anniversary. It would have been 67 years today on the 9th of April. 

"And, well, we told a couple of stories about Seve. Bernhard told a couple of them. I did, too. But mainly, you know, what Seve meant to me, especially around this place, all the wonderful moments that we spent together on the golf course practicing and, you know, him telling me how to play certain holes, how to hit certain shots. 

"He made me believe that I had the game to win over here. He's always very close to my heart.

"Well, obviously, he would have been, you know, very proud of seeing another Spaniard winning the Masters. Well, Jon mentioned it too also, you know, when he was growing up he looked to certain players, Seve was one of them. He said that in his speech. He's very present in all of us."