When Rory McIlroy sank the winning put to clinch the 2025 Masters Tournament, he dropped to his knees, bowed his head to the earth, sobbed with joy and then pumped his fists as he triumphantly rose while the crowd roared. The victory gave McIlroy a career Grand Slam, making him just the sixth man ever to win all four of golf’s major championships. 

Little did he know that such an exhilarating moment would eventually open the door to the golfing world discovering what he, and hunters, already know – elk is both nutritious and delicious. By virtue of his Masters championship, McIlroy earned the right to plan the menu for the 2026 Masters Club Dinner taking place April 7, 2026, at the Augusta National Golf Club, where McIlroy will try to defend his title later that same week. 

The menu includes four appetizers, a first course, a main course and dessert. Among the listed appetizers are grilled elk sliders with caramelized onion jam and roasted garlic aioli. So, why elk? 

“In the buildup to the Masters last year, I was eating a lot of elk,” McIlroy told the PGA Tour. “I didn't want elk to be the main course because I didn't know if everyone would like that … So, I'm doing grilled elk sliders, which I think is fun.” 

Fun, indeed. And yes Rory, elk is delicious, nutritious and highly sought after. According to a 2016 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, about 700,000 hunters pursued elk the previous hunting season.  

Once again, why elk? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (see chart below), elk is extremely high in protein and low in fat, ranking ahead of pork, lamb, whitetail deer, pronghorn antelope, chicken, pheasant and duck. Of the listed species, only moose and wild turkey have a lower fat content but both of those trail elk in protein percentage. 

Go ahead and call elk what it is – the meal of champions. Just ask Rory. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo and graphic credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)