Westwood splits from coach, caddie after PGA

[Kanoito]

Aug. 13, 2012

 

LONDON (AP) -- Lee Westwood's manager says the English golfer has split from coach Pete Cowen and temporary caddie Mike Waite after his disappointing performance at the PGA Championship.

 

Cowen works with several top golfers, including Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen, but the 39-year-old Westwood believes a fresh approach could improve his chances of finally winning a major.

 

Westwood's manager Andrew Chandler says "Lee admits he needed to shake things up" and that "he'd lost his focus and his enthusiasm a bit."

 

His regular caddie, Billy Foster, injured his knee in May and won't return until next year. Mike Kerr, who is normally on the bag for Alvaro Quiros, will take over for two months.

 

Westwood missed the cut at the PGA Championship, where Rory McIlroy won by eight shots.

 

Another "can't fire myself, so fire the caddy" situation?

[Tyk]

Yeah, it almost always is with golfers, but it is understandable. The coach even moreso than the caddy in my opinion.

 

Sometimes I think people just need to change, as the article says, just "shake things up a bit". Getting new people around you can change the way you react, they might say something that inspires you or helps you understand something that you'd struggled with.

 

I think the moral of the story is: "If you're providing services to a golfer who is missing cuts, your job is not secure!"

[RoverRick]

Rory said that in Akron week before last Dave Stockton told him to go out with a smile and just remember you are playing golf for a living and that is all you have wanted to do since you were a child. Go out and enjoy it, there is no reason to get upset or frustrated. Enjoy the golf. (not a direct quote but close)

 

It seemed to work for Rory. Except the play golf for a living part, I am going to try this approach. Club championship is coming up in a few weeks.

 

If that little talk is all that it took to inspire Rory, who needed inspiration, who can blame Westwood.

[GolfSpy WD]

Rory said that in Akron week before last Dave Stockton told him to go out with a smile and just remember you are playing golf for a living and that is all you have wanted to do since you were a child. Go out and enjoy it, there is no reason to get upset or frustrated. Enjoy the golf. (not a direct quote but close)

 

It seemed to work for Rory. Except the play golf for a living part, I am going to try this approach. Club championship is coming up in a few weeks.

 

If that little talk is all that it took to inspire Rory, who needed inspiration, who can blame Westwood.

 

Tiger actually tried the same thing of playing "happy golf" and it failed for him. Maybe it's just me, but it seems whenever I've noticed Westwood win the field has been fairly weak. Perhaps it really is just him and he's a victim of overinflation by the OWGR?

[RoverRick]

Tiger actually tried the same thing of playing "happy golf" and it failed for him. Maybe it's just me, but it seems whenever I've noticed Westwood win the field has been fairly weak. Perhaps it really is just him and he's a victim of overinflation by the OWGR?

 

 

I read Tiger attribute his loss to the fact that he came out Saturday and did not take it seriously enough.

 

In recent history here in the US Westwood has won with some of the weaker fields, however, in Europe that is a different matter. He does have 22 wins. He won early this year when the I20's first came out, do not remember where but it was in the cold and there was a pretty strong field and he won big. But he has not followed that up.

 

You are right in that he has , no Euro Flagship tournaments (Euro Majors), no PGA Majors, and no WGC wins. And no FedEx Playoff wins but one Dubai Championship win (2009).

 

For those that do not follow Euro golf, to me anyway, there are 14 tournaments a year that have a really strong field world wide.

4 PGA Majors

4 WGC Events

BMW PGA (Euros)

Dubai Championship(Euros)

Fed Ex Playoffs.

 

To me that is the true list of majors, and I could even shorten it to the final Fed Ex Cup.

 

If you can win the FedEx Cup than that is much a much bigger deal to me than winning on tournament that happens to be a "Major"

[Will Par]

Golf is often about finding that one little thing that makes everything work in harmony. A new coach might find that for him. I think he's also moving to the US and may be looking for a coach who will be easier to work with here. Also I'm guessing he's really missing his regular caddy. He's got someone different standing by him on every shot. There's probably a loss of comfort level there that he's got to work through or find someone else he is comfortable with until his regular caddy is back.