Legendary golfer Arnold Parlmer’s green jacket was reportedly among the items stolen from Augusta National Golf Club during a 13-year span, according to cllct’s Darren Rovell. Palmer earned the jacket as a four-time Masters champion.
Palmer’s Green Jacket was not mentioned by federal investigators, nor was the item being missing acknowledged by Augusta National Golf Club officials.
Richard Brendan Globensky was charged by federal authorities this week, accused of transporting and transferring millions of dollars of stolen merchandise and memorabilia from Augusta National Golf Club from 2009 to 2022. According to federal charging documents, Globensky moved the items from Augusta, Georgia to Tampa, Florida. Federal officials believe Globensky knew the items were stolen when he transported them.
Globensky had access to the merchandise and memorabilia as a former warehouse coordinator at Augusta National who oversaw the Masters merchandise that was sold every year, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The jacket was recovered during a 2022 FBI operation in which a private sale was arranged. A member of Augusta National knew Palmer’s jacket was missing and reached out to a collector who had a reputation for finding rare items. The intention was to retrieve the jacket under the pretense of a sale, according to cllct.
The jacket was found and verified to be legitimate and a sale for $3.6 million was arranged. The buyer and collector met the seller and a deposit was paid to take the jacket. Upon leaving the seller’s house, the two were approached by FBI agents and the jacket was seized. Federal agents also questioned the sellers.
Following Palmer’s death in 2016 at the age of 87, Augusta National honored the four-time champion by draping his jacket on a chair sitting on the course during the Masters. Palmer had several Green Jackets and the one that was stolen (believed to be from his 1958 Masters victory) was not among his actual winner’s jackets.
