PGA Tour Winner's Caddie Denied Travel Visa Ahead Of Open Championship For Cocaine Charge 30 Years Ago

Harris English, winner of the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year, will be teeing it up in this week's Scottish Open and The Open in Northern Ireland the following week, but it looks like he'll be doing so without his regular caddie, Eric Larson.

The circumstances around Larson's absence across the pond are unique, to say the least.

A new travel regulation that now applies to individuals, including Americans, makes it difficult to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority visa for those who have been convicted of a criminal offense for which they served 12 months or more in prison.

Larson did a little more than 12 months in the clink; he actually served more than 10 years of a 13-year sentence.

Harris English is without his regular caddie in Europe due to a conviction from 30 years ago. (Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports)

In 1995, the longtime caddie pleaded guilty to sending cocaine from Florida to friends in the Midwest. According to the AP, Larson was not a user or "big-time dealer" of cocaine, but ultimately spent 10 years and three months in prison and was released from a halfway house in June 2006.

"I just want to get to the British Open to help Harris," Larson told the outlet from his home in Florida. He also explained that he didn’t realize he needed the visa until last month's U.S. Open in Pennsylvania.

Before becoming English's caddie in 2017, Larson looped for a number of notable players, including Jeff Overton and Anthony Kim.

As for English, he understands there is little he can do to get his caddie to Europe.

"I guess the United Kingdom doesn’t look highly on his past," English said Tuesday ahead of the Scottish Open. "And apparently it’s a work in progress."

English is currently ranked 10th in the U.S. Ryder Cup team standings. A solid stint across the pond and consistent play in the FedEx Cup Playoffs could very well end with him making what would be his second Ryder Cup team for this fall's event at Bethpage Black in New York.