AUSTIN, Texas – Two weeks ago, Rory McIlroy reached out to swing coach Pete Cowen for “ideas” on his way but it didn’t look like he was going to leave his longtime coach Michael Bannon. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, however, a Northern Irishman plans to officially start working with Cowen.
Cowen, whose current roster of players includes Brooks Koepka and Henrik Stenson, has previously worked with McIlroy, including during his days as coach the Irish men’s golf team, and the two were spotted together on the field after opening 79 at The Players Championship two weeks ago.
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After losing the TPC Sawgrass cut, McIlroy said his swing struggles stem from his decision to run “speed” last fall.
“After doing some distance training, he started getting into that stuff, got a smooth, long swing and too rotating,” McIlroy told The Players. “I added a bit of speed and I’m hitting the ball longer, but maybe that wasn’t a good thing I did for my entire swing, so I’m kind of fighting. to get out of there. That is what I am bothered by. “
Last month at Bay Hill, McIlroy had said it was time for a change but when he was pushing for specific information he seemed to dispel the notion of a big-coach change. reic. “I really didn’t mean a change of staff, per se. I think more of a philosophy change, ”he said at TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy is in the field at this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Game Play, but was not immediately available for comment.