Being a coach in the sporting world holds a lot of importance. The figure would be responsible for leading their athletes while guiding them to become better, if not the best. And Pete Cowen has done exactly the same in golf, and in spectacular fashion no less! His teachings on the course have led him to be dubbed the most successful coach the game has ever seen.

Transitioning from a golfer to someone who trains the same has been an inspiring journey. His exceptional skills as a teacher have led him to guide many professionals under him. A lot of players have become pupils under the legend, including the likes of Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, and Brooks Koepka, among others. Enough to pique one’s interest, isn’t it?

Lee Westwood, the first step to Cowen’s legendary career

Westwood turned professional in 1993. However, he did not manage any wins in the next two years. The then-22-year-old would only be able to win a total of $7474 in a third of the 1995 season. However, a call from Chubby Chandler to Pete Cowen, who was tutoring at the Lindrick Golf Club, the 1957 Ryder Cup venue, would change his life completely.

Having had a not-so-successful stint as a pro, the 1976 Zambia Open champ turned to teaching golf. The decision came as a boon to Westwood, who learned from the English coach. The next five years saw the golfer win a total of 25 times on various circuits, including a Tour Championship at the 1997 Volvo Masters.

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The effect that Cowen had on the English professional is not to be taken lightly, as the now-50-year-old has a total of 44 professional wins, including 25 victories on the European Tour. And the coach has been all praise for Westwood as well, when he dubbed him a “world-class player” who loves the stage during an exclusive interview. And he’s just one of the players that the Englishman has trained.

Rory McIlroy and the short partnership with Pete Cowen

The legend started to cooperate with McIlroy in 2021. The golfer just had a single victory coming off a charity event in 2020 at the TaylorMade Driving Relief with Dustin Johnson. However, he did not experience any other professional triumphs owing, reportedly, to some problems that the Northern Irishman encountered with his swings.

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The problems came as a result of the ‘speed training’, which he adopted to get some extra distance and power. This led to the golfer starting his training sessions with the iconic trainer in March 2021. However, after eight months, McIlroy went back to his old swing coach, who also guided him in his childhood years, Michael Bannon.

Although future reports would indicate a split between them, the golfer denied the same while divulging how he would always seek assistance from the Englishman whenever he would require it. He experienced just a short time with the 24X PGA Tour Champ, becoming one of the many pupils under the legendary coach.

Sergio Garcia, the Ryder Cup legend, and Pete Cowen

Garcia has worked with Cowen over the course of his career. And it didn’t come as a surprise when Thomas Bjorn, another one of his pupils and the 2018 Ryder Cup captain for the European team, named him as a wild card. This is but one of the many instances in which the coach’s teachings have propelled him to the top of golf.

Well, what about the Englishman? He also gave praise to the Spaniard, as he once mentioned how Garcia had an exceptional shoulder movement, making him one of the best ball-strikers to ever lay eyes upon. Adding on, the coaching icon said, “When I work with Sergio, I’m never tempted to touch the way he flattens the shaft, because the movement of his shoulders is so good,” all the while complimenting the way he “delivers the club into the ball.”

And his eyes didn’t lie, as the Spanish professional now boasts an extraordinary record in the biennial tournament, representing his team a total of 10 times since 1999. He leads the scoring table with 25.5 points, making him one of the best players to ever play in the event. Such a result is expected of the legend’s student.

Brooks Koepka, Cowen’s current pupil

Koepka started working with the Englishman after he received his card for the European Tour in 2013. The 33-year-old has since then been nothing short of an exceptional force in the golfing world, managing to garner nine PGA Tour victories, including a total of five majors, the latest coming off in 2023 at the PGA Championship.

Cowen also had a lot to say about the American pro. Dubbing him the best in his era, he expressed disbelief at how it eludes him that the LIV golfer “doesn’t win every tournament” that he plays. Well, that says a lot, coming from the best coach in golf. Adding on, the Englishman also expressed his trust in the professional and his skills, as he mentioned how achieving “double digits” in the number of majors won is easy for him.

These are but some of the names that Pete Cowen has guided in his career. Some of the other professionals include the likes of Darren Clarke, Bjorn, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell, Danny Willett, and Henrik Stenson, totaling his tally of wins to 250 PGA Tour victories.

Who, in your opinion, is the best that he has taught? Share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

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(To know more about Pete Cowen’s fascinating journey, tune in to the ESFanCast, LIVE this Friday at 11:00 AM ET. We sit down with the renowned coach who has guided exceptional golfers on the course to glory through his extraordinary teachings)