Ryder Cup hopeful, Harris English could be without his long-time caddie, Eric Larson for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship at Royal Portrush next week after the looper's request for a UK visa was denied.
Larson has worked for English at the past four Open Championships, however, a newly-introduced regulation which now applies to American citizens has produced an untimely stumbling block.
First reported by the Associated Press' Doug Ferguson, Larson claims he did not know an Electronic Travel Authority visa was required for travel to the UK until after the US Open last month.
The professional bagman filled out the necessary form more than two weeks ago but saw his request turned down and is still waiting for answers, leaving English scrambling to find on-course help for at least the next few days in Scotland.
For his appearance at The Renaissance Club - the pro who stands 10th in the US Ryder Cup standings - is using Davis Thompson's looper, Joe Etter.
However, Thompson snatched a last-gasp spot into The Open so the partnership will be even less temporary than English would like.
“Joe was my Plan B. Now we’re going to have to get a new Plan B,” English told Ferguson in Scotland.
Part of the reason an ETA visa can be denied by the UK includes any "applicant who has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they served 12 months or more in prison."
Per Ferguson, Larson pleaded guilty to sending cocaine from his home in Florida to friends in Wisconsin 30 years ago and was subsequently in prison for 10 years and three months before being released from a halfway house in June 2006.
Looking for a fresh start, he was re-hired by Mark Calcavecchia for a brief period, in which they won a PGA Tour title, before going on to help an up-and-coming Anthony Kim at the Ryder Cup in 2008. Larson later partnered up with Jeff Overton in 2010 prior to joining English in 2017.
For English, who needs a good fortnight in the UK to further establish his chances of a second Ryder Cup appearance, the timing of Larson's issue is quite unhelpful.
The caddie has apparently hired London-based Bates Well to advise on legal proceedings while he is also working with Miami-based VSF Global to quickly obtain a standard six-month visa. Although, the process was initiated two weeks ago and Larson has reportedly not heard anything back yet.
Speaking to Ferguson, English revealed he contacted the USA's ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens in order to try and find a solution who then forwarded the pro golfer onto his chief of staff.
He said: "They wrote a letter. The R&A wrote a letter. The PGA Tour wrote a letter. A charity event Eric works for in the States (Operation New Hope) wrote a letter. It’s not for a lack of effort. I think it could be sitting on someone’s desk at the government somewhere.
“I guess the United Kingdom doesn’t look highly on his past, and apparently it’s a work in progress.
“It’s just a matter of the right people seeing it. 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?”
Although time is running out for English and Larson, they both remain hopeful that progress will be made before the first tee time in Northern Ireland next Thursday.
Via his Florida home, Larson said: "I just want to get to the British Open to help Harris, but everything has been tight-lipped. Everybody is frustrated.”
The 35-year-old made his Open and Major debut in 2012 and has gone on to compete for the Claret Jug eight more times, managing a best result of T15th in 2013.
He did not play the last time The Open was held at Royal Portrush, though, and has missed the cut three times. However, English has enjoyed a decent year at the Majors so far, coming T12th at The Masters and T2nd at the PGA Championship before ending T59th at the US Open.
