Rory McIlroy has confirmed a parting of the ways with Pete Cowen, the illustrious English swing instructor he began working with this year and has returned to his original coach Michael Bannon.
The split between McIlroy and Cowen has been touted and discussed since the Ryder Cup with the player confirming to Golfweek magazine this week that he returned to Bannon, his instructor who had coached him since he was a child.
"Yes, Michael and I are back working together," McIlroy told Golfweek. "I've always had a relationship with Pete and I'll ask for his input if I feel I need it. But now it’s Michael and me."
Cowen, a former European Tour pro, is a renowned coach, with major winning ex-clients including Brooks Koepka, Louis Oosthuizen, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Gary Woodland and Darren Clarke.
After a difficult 2020, McIlroy began working with Cowen in March and recorded an early success with a third victory in the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow on the PGA Tour. However, his form dipped drastically thereafter, with only one top-10 finish during the summer - a seventh placed finish at the US Open in Torrey Pines. He dropped to 15th in the world ranking.
It culminated in his poor showing in the opening two days of the Ryder Cup and his emotional outburst after his rousing Sunday win over Xander Schauffele in singles.
After that, he rallied to win his second PGA Tour event of an otherwise difficult year at the CJ Cup and a few days after, according to Golfweek, he began working with Bannon again.
