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The 2026 PGA Champions dinner took place ahead of the PGA Championship. It was at the traditional gathering in 2023 that Justin Thomas delivered a playful dig at former LIV Golf star Mito Pereira during his speech.

Scottie Scheffler addressed attendees at the annual PGA Champions dinner on Tuesday evening, having claimed the USPGA at Quail Hollow in 2025. The dinner, hosted at Aronimink Golf Club, featured a menu created by executive chef John Ferguson and was attended by numerous past champions including Thomas, who has secured PGA Championship glory twice, in 2017 and 2022. It was following his most recent triumph, however, that Thomas was given the responsibility of entertaining guests at the Oak Hill Champions dinner, and his speech featured a humorous jab at Pereira, who retired from golf in 2025.

At the 2022 PGA Championship, Thomas began the final round seven strokes behind leader Pereira and produced a remarkable 67. But with Pereira standing over the 18th tee with a one-shot advantage, it appeared as though he'd be denied a second USPGA title.

However, the Chilean found the water, having required only a par to secure the major championship. He double bogeyed, leaving Thomas level with Will Zalatoris on five under. Thomas then birdied two of the three play-off holes at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to overcome Zalatoris and claim the USPGA title.

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Twelve months on, he arrived at Oak Hill as the defending champion and took centre stage at the Champions dinner as tradition dictates. He made reference to Pereira's mishap on 18 during his speech, which was documented on Netflix's Full Swing.

"It is a very cool night, I know we can all reminisce about stories," Thomas began before raising a glass. "I personally want to have a cheers to Mito Pereira because this would not happen without him."

The quip drew laughter from those present, though notably not from Pereira. He subsequently revealed to Barstool Sports that the remark wounded him. Pereira said: "It was not very fun for me or I think for anybody. I've seen Instagram and he's not getting a lot of love about that. I'm not really close to him so it's not like I'm going to go talk to him.

"It hurt a little bit, just not really to go at him and say something. It gives you a little bit of fire. If that happens again, I'd really like to be in that position to beat him."

Thomas last captured a major championship in 2022 and arrives at Aronimink in inconsistent form. He failed to make the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, with his most recent top-10 finish coming at the Players.