Pete Cowen exclusive: “I didn’t ‘split’ with Rory… I’m still there to help”

Rory McIlroy and Pete Cowen worked together in 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: Pete Cowen talks to Today’s Golfer about working with Rory McIlroy and what the future holds for the pair.

Renowned golf coach Pete Cowens says he didn’t ‘split’ with Rory McIlroy last year, telling Today’s Golfer that the return of Michael Bannon as the four-time Major winner’s coach was always the plan.

Reports surfaced in November that the Yorkshire-based instructor and the World No 8 had parted company after a short period working together, with McIlroy telling the media “I know what I’m doing.”

The former World No.1 said that alongside working with long-term mentor Bannon on a full-time basis, he would be asking for occasional input from Cowen.

The Northern Ireland star began working with Cowen in the spring of 2021, just as COVID rates began surging again and that situation led to the temporary move away from Bannon.

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“Michael (Bannon) was always going to come back,” Cowen told TG at the official opening of the Callaway Performance Centre at Archerfield Links. “It was just he didn’t want to travel during Covid so Rory had nobody to help him during that period and obviously I became that person. 

“He came to me and did well. He won a couple of tournaments and won a lot of world ranking points.”

McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship last May, which saw him return to the world’s top ten, before triumphing at The CJ Cup in October while under Cowen’s full-time tutelage.

Speculation grew that the pair were working together again after being photographed on the driving range ahead ahead of The Players Championship, but Cowen told TG that is not the case.

“I’m still there if required,” said the 71-year-old. “I’m not his coach, but I’m there to help.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Flanagan has been a golf journalist since 2008 having worked at a number of daily newspapers before that as part of the sports teams.

He’s been playing golf since the age of 11, starting out at Olton in the West Midlands and has also been a member at Hull, Waterton Park near Wakefield and Hollins Hall in Baildon. He currently plays off a nine handicap.

You can get in touch with Mark, here.