Eric Larson, a PGA golf caddy who served 11 years in prison for cocaine trafficking, received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump on September 3, allowing him to work at prestigious tournaments like the British Open. The pardon came after changes in UK immigration laws barred Larson due to his criminal history. Trump’s decision followed an encounter with Larson and golfer Cameron English at Trump National golf course where Larson explained his situation; he had formally applied through the Justice Department's pardon office before receiving the presidential pardon.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Eric Larson, a PGA caddy, received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump on September 3, allowing him to work in the UK despite a past cocaine-dealing conviction that had barred him from the country for 30 years. Larson served 11 years in prison and was denied entry due to new British immigration laws requiring electronic authorization for travelers with criminal records. This prevented him from working at the British Open in 2025, where he would have earned around $126,000 as a caddy based on his usual 7% commission rate from his golfer’s purse if they finished in the top 10. Larson's pardon came just in time for him to work alongside Branden Grace, who was thrilled about Larson regaining his rights and being able to support him at upcoming tournaments like the Scottish Open and British Open.
Written for “Trump Pardon For Caddy” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
He served 11 years in prison for dealing cocaine, and was barred from working in the UK because of the 30-year-old conviction — but a sudden presidential pardon finally frees him to take part in some of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments across the pond.
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pardon → serve → pond
Larson’s problem emerged when the British government changed its immigration laws two years ago to require an electronic authorization for travelers — something he had been denied due to his past conviction.
asserted
he → emerge → conviction
As a result, he was prevented from caddying for English at the British Open in 2025 – when he came in second and earned a $1.8 million payday.
asserted
he → prevent → payday
Caddies usually earn a 7% commission from their golfer’s purse if they finish in the top 10 of a tourney.
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they → earn → tourney
For The Open it would have amounted to about $126,000 for Larson.
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it → amount → Larson
But Trump party-phoned a stunned Larson and English, 37, to deliver the news after he inked it Sept. 3.
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he → phone → news
“I’m just so pumped for Eric that he can have his rights back . . . and travel to be by my side and work for me specifically at the Scottish Open and the British Open,” English told The Post.
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English → ’m → Post
“He knows what it’s like to have your freedom taken away.
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freedom → know → what
He just brings so much joy.”
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He → bring → joy
Larson first got to know Trump through PGA and LIV golfer Anthony Kim, for whom he previously caddied.
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he → get → whom
English and Larson golfed with Trump in December at Trump National golf course in West Palm Beach, where English says Larson told the president about his situation.
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Larson → golf → situation
“I’m happy that Trump kind of heard us and probably did a lot of his research on it,” he said.
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he → ’m → it
Golfing with the president is a long way from his life in the 1980s and early 1990s, when he says he found ways to obtain cocaine in Florida and shipped it to friends and acquaintances across state lines, which ultimately got him a longer sentence after a supplier turned him in.
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supplier → say → him
He says he never used the drug.
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he → say → drug
“As much as this is for me, it’s support of people that have supported me as well to to show them that, you know, I’ve done all the right things to improve myself and and you know be to be forgiven and get on with my life.”
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you → ’ → life
Larson is mindful of press reports of people paying huge fees to brokers and in some cases scammers promising to deliver pardons – and says his own situation is different.
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situation → pay → pardons
He says he made a formal application through the Justice Department’s pardon office – the official channel, providing documents showing his prison work and letters vouching for him.
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he → say → him
“I’ve met Trump before with the golfers.
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I → meet → golfers
He loves golf.
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He → love → golf
The Department of Justice went through all my paperwork and all my prison paperwork.
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Department → go → paperwork
It went through the process,” he said.
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he → go → process
“I want it to be based on my merits, not because I know him.”
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I → want → him
“I’ve done all the right things since Day One, since my crime,” he said.
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he → do → crime
Now, the Appleton, Wis., native – one of the older caddies on the circuit – is making up for lost time.
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native → make → time
“I didn’t work for 11 years.
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I → work → years
And I enjoy it and I’m caddying for one of the best young players in the game, and I’m not done yet.
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I → enjoy → game
As long as I can still caddy, I’ll caddy.
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I → caddy → ?
As long as i’m walking and as long as Harris has me.”
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Harris → walk → me
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