In 2016, Arnold Palmer passed away at the age of 87. Augusta National Golf Club paid tribute to the four-time champion by placing his jacket on a chair at the course during the Masters. It was later reported that Palmer’s green jacket was among the items stolen from Augusta National Golf Club over a 13-year period.
Richard Brendan Globensky, a former warehouse coordinator at Augusta National who supervised the Masters merchandise sold each year, was recently charged by federal authorities for transporting and transferring millions of dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise and memorabilia from Augusta National to Tampa, Florida. It is believed that he was aware that the items were stolen.
In a 2022 FBI operation, Palmer’s missing jacket was recovered during a private sale arranged by a member of Augusta National who knew the jacket was missing. The collector, known for finding rare items, verified the jacket’s authenticity, leading to a sale for $3.6 million being arranged. However, upon leaving the seller’s house with the jacket, the buyer and collector were confronted by FBI agents who seized the jacket and questioned the sellers.
Augusta National officials did not acknowledge Palmer’s Green Jacket being among the items stolen but federal investigators did not mention it either. The club has been known for its strict security measures in recent years following several high-profile thefts including one involving Tiger Woods in 2017 which led to an increase in security presence around the course during The Masters tournament.