Harris English is in Scotland to play in the Genesis Scottish Open. His longtime caddie Eric Larson is not.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Larson was denied entry because of a drug conviction 30 years ago when he pleaded guilty to sending cocaine to friends. He says he wasn’t a user or a dealer but still spent 10 years and three months in prison. He was fully released in June 2006.
Because of the conviction Larson was not able to clear the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa to travel into the United Kingdom, a stipulation that started earlier this year and applies to Americans.
Larson, according to the AP, had hired Bates Wells, a London-based legal team, to help him get to Scotland to work for his boss this week and next week at the British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. English is ranked 10th in Ryder Cup standings, with the next few weeks critical to his chances of trying to make the American team with automatic qualifying ending in August.
“I just want to get to the British Open and help Harris,” said Larson, who didn’t know he needed the ETA until the week of the U.S. Open. Applicants are not granted access if they’ve been convicted in the U.K. or overseas and served 12 or more months in prison.
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Once Larson was released back in 2006, Mark Calcavecchia hired him. He’s looped in three Ryder Cups— for Anthony Kim (2008), Jeff Overson (2010) and English four years ago. He has caddied for English for eight years.
“I guess the United Kingdom doesn’t look highly on his past,” English said Tuesday at the Renaissance Club, host of the Scottish Open. “And apparently it’s a work in progress.”
“It’s just a matter of the right people seeing it,” English continued, saying letters have been written to U.K. authorities on Larson’s behalf. “I didn’t understand how complicated the process was. Someone could see this guy had something in his past 30 years ago, he’s been fine the last 20. How long does this stay with him?”
Joe Etter is on the bag for English this week in Scotland. Etter works for Davis Thompson, who is not playing this week, but is in the field next week at the British Open.
The 35-year-old English is ranked 19th on the world ranking and having a terrific year on the PGA Tour. He started the season ranked 75th and won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, his fifth-career PGA Tour victory. A tie for second place at the PGA Championship, T-12 at the Memorial and a T-4 at the Travelers Championship show he’s in good form and hoping to be one of the 12 Americans at the Ryder Cup in September at Bethpage Black.
