The Moreton Bay Bugs have invaded Augusta National as Adam Scott’s champions dinner nears.
The defending champion will host the former winners of the Masters in the traditional pre-tournament feed on Tuesday night, adding a distinct Australian flavour to the clubhouse for the first time.
Scott confirmed the long expected Moreton Bay Bugs would be part of his surf and turf inspiration and the night would be finished with his Mum Pam’s pavlova.
“It’s definitely going to be all Australian barbecue themed,” Scott said.
“I kind of picked nothing too exotic, because I didn’t think any of the other guys would appreciate it, kangaroo and crocodile, or anything like that.
“It’s along those lines of surf and turf, and it will be off the barbie, which is what I like.”
Pam Scott’s ‘green jacket’ moment has her more nervous than her son.
The fact she has no control over the pavlova, instead entrusting the recipe to Scott’s resident chef, has her worried it might not represent her to a tee.
The trouble seems to be with the marshmallow centre, which the Americans haven’t replicated on two practice runs.
“I’ve advised a chef that Adam uses and we’ve had deep conversations about it and we’re not particularly confident we’re going to get what it should be,” Pam said.
“We’ll see how we go tonight.”
On Thursday Scott will open his Masters defence paired with PGA Championship winning American Jason Dufner and US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick.
The group will get underway at 12.41am (AEST) on Friday but the World No.2 won’t be the first onto the Augusta National fairways, with Steven Bowditch taking the honour as the initial Australian to put a peg in the ground.
Bowditch, in his Masters debut courtesy of his recent Texas Open win, will tee off at 10.18pm (AEST) on Thursday with former champion Mark O’Meara and amateur Jordan Niebrugge, both Americans.
John Senden, another recent winner in Tampa, follows in the group behind at 10.29pm with American Boo Weekley and Englishman David Lynn.
World No.4 Jason Day is part of a power group with world No.3 Swede Henrik Stenson and world No.11 American Dustin Johnson getting underway at 3.04am on Friday.
Last week’s Houston Open winner Matt Jones plays with former champion Sandy Lyle of Scotland and American Ken Duke at 1.25am, while amateur Oliver Goss plays with 2008 winner Trevor Immelman of South Africa and Canadian Graham DeLaet at 2.31am.
Marc Leishman rounds out the Australian tilt paired with American Hunter Mahan and Dutch star Joost Luiten at 3.26am.
