The Rory rebuild: Pete Cowen’s to-do list with McIlroy - but will it work?

[ASFN Admin]

Rory McIlroy has confirmed Telegraph Sport’s exclusive that he has appointed Pete Cowen, the celebrated Yorkshireman with 10 majors and 275 Tour wins, as his new coach. The news is a major departure for McIlroy, who has only ever had one official coach since he was eight. Michael Bannon, who has guided the Northern Irishman for the last 23 years, will remain in the background but it is clear that Cowen has been entrusted with the reins. Together with McIlroy, the 70 year-old will no doubt formulate a long-term plan but with the Masters on the horizon, the race is on to rediscover the four-time major winner’s form and self-belief. Cowen is revered on the range for his ability to pull off ‘the quick fix' and these will be the four main areas to which his 'magic screwdriver' will be applied. The 'two-way miss' This is the overwhelming priority and it will be intriguing to see in McIlroy’s tussle with Poulter, if any progress has been made since the horror show in Ponte Vedra. At Bay Hill three weeks ago, McIlroy asked Cowen - a man he has known since he was 14 when the latter was the consultant coach for the Irish youth amateur team - to have a look at his technique. Mcilroy later admitted that in his attempt to emulate Bryson DeChambeau’s 200mph ball-speed, he unwittingly introduced gremlins into his fabled rhythm. “I’ve got myself into an unusual pattern,” McIlroy explained. “Usually the club gets out in front of me on the way back and then drops behind me on the way down. But at the minute it’s the opposite.”

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