Akshay Bhatia's New Red Cardigan Is Even More Exclusive Than You Think

Since 2017, the winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational has been presented with one of golf’s most distinctive prizes: a red alpaca cardigan. The sweater honors Arnold Palmer’s timeless style and love for classic knitwear, a look he helped popularize during his playing career.

Today, the cardigan is produced by Full Turn Custom Apparel, whose founder, Mark Killeen, worked with Palmer’s daughter, Amy Saunders, to ensure the design authentically reflected Arnie’s legacy.

Crafted from premium Peruvian alpaca wool, the piece remains incredibly exclusive. Unlike the Masters Green Jacket, which must remain at Augusta National, champions are free to take the cardigan home. Though the brand associated with the sweater—AD Palmer—has its own air of exclusivity, only available in select shops that have to apply to carry it.

A snippet from the AD Palmer website:

The Arnold Palmer Group announced AD Palmer, a new line of golf and lifestyle fashions created with Full Turn Custom Apparel. The new line is made with custom fabrics and features modern silhouettes and design touches inspired by its iconic namesake’s legendary personal style. Comprised of a range of shirts, sweaters, and pull-overs, and featuring a signature blazer, the collection is made in Italy of merino wool, silk, cashmere and other fine materials. It will be available at select golf clubs and retail locations across the United States and the UK beginning in May of this year.

From my dad’s humble beginnings, how he presented himself was of paramount importance to him, a fact reflected in his consistently neat, clean personal look,” said Amy Palmer Saunders. “I believe the AD Palmer collection, from our partner Full Turn, reflects my father’s own approach to style and to life, with quality craftsmanship and straightforward design. I know that he would be humbled by the commitment of the designers, artisans and many others who spend so much time attending to every detail, ensuring that his name and legacy are so fittingly honored.”

The new AD Palmer collection complements that approach to life, with an artisan’s attention to detail and elevated but unpretentious stylings, presented in a range of colors and patterns suitable for modern-day champions. All garments are produced in Italy with Italian fabrics, retail price points range from $175 to $575, and the line is being brought to market via invitation only. There will be no direct-to-consumer online sales, allowing each retail partner to enjoy a sense of exclusivity.

The latest to wear it, Akshay Bhatia, joins a growing list of winners carrying the tradition forward.