Overview
- President Trump granted a full pardon to Eric Larson for his 1990s drug-trafficking conviction, a move that removes U.S. legal disabilities tied to that conviction.
- Larson says he applied through the Justice Department pardon office and that Trump personally phoned him and golfer Harris English to notify them of the pardon.
- The UK began screening U.S. travelers in 2025 with an Electronic Travel Authorization that previously blocked Larson from the 2025 British Open, costing him an estimated $126,000 in commission.
- The pardon was issued quietly as part of a batch of clemencies and does not automatically overturn the prior UK denial, so Larson must still seek a standard visitor visa for future tournaments.
- Saturday reports show the case highlights how presidential clemency restores domestic rights but does not directly alter foreign immigration rules or guarantee entry to events such as the 2027 Open at St Andrews.