Harris English Caddie Shake-Up: Inside the Surprising Switch Rocking the PGA Tour

The roar that followed Harris English’s opening-round 67 at the 153rd Open Championship carried an extra edge: the four-time PGA Tour winner produced it without trusted caddie Eric Larson, who was barred from entering the United Kingdom after officials reviewed a 30-year-old drug conviction. Visa snag keeps Eric Larson off the bag Under the U.K.’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation system, travelers with convictions that carried sentences of 12 months or longer can be denied entry. Larson, sentenced in 1993 for cocaine distribution, fell under the rule despite nearly three decades of clean records and a comeback career that helped English claim three of his four PGA Tour titles. English called the decision “gut-wrenching,” yet accepted that the policy left little room for appeal during tournament week. Meet the stand-in: Ramón Bescansa With Larson grounded stateside, English enlisted veteran looper Ramón Bescansa—best known for guiding Jon Rahm on the Korn Ferry Tour. Bescansa landed in Northern Ireland less than 24 hours before the opening tee shot and leaned on English’s meticulous yardage books to navigate Royal Portrush’s swirling coastal winds. Early returns have been promising: English gained more than three strokes on the field tee-to-green on Thursday, splitting 12 fairways and ranking top-five in proximity from 150-175 yards. “Ramón kept me calm,” English said. “We talked numbers, trusted the prep, and stayed aggressive when the breeze laid down.” English’s motivational fuel Larson, watching on TV from Florida, texted encouragement between holes. “He told me, ‘Play with freedom and let’s make Sunday interesting,’” English revealed. That message resonated on the par-4 18th, where English poured in a 20-footer for birdie to move into a share of the lead with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and hometown favorite Rory McIlroy. What the rules say—and what could change R&A officials confirmed they cannot override U.K. border decisions, but multiple players have urged the governing body to lobby for discretionary exemptions for long-standing tour caddies. PGA Tour player director Patrick Cantlay noted that “caddies are core to competition and should be considered sporting staff, similar to coaches.” Whether that argument gains traction before the 2026 Open at Royal Lytham remains uncertain. Momentum heading into Friday English tees off at 1:37 p.m. local Friday with the wind forecast to shift southwest—opposite of Thursday’s direction—placing a premium on quick adaptation. Bescansa spent the evening charting alternate lines on Portrush’s par-5s while English practiced knock-down wedges, a staple of his Sea Island upbringing. If the pairing continues to click, the storyline could turn from a visa controversy into one of the season’s most compelling triumphs. “I’d love nothing more than to hoist the Claret Jug and FaceTime Eric from the 18th green,” English said. “He deserves to be part of it, even from 3,000 miles away.” Fans can follow live scoring on the R&A’s leaderboard and tune into NBC and Peacock for wall-to-wall coverage through Sunday.