Lee Westwood has reacted to an indifferent season in the Majors sacking his long-time coach and also part-time caddy.
In a big shock, Westwood has terminated his relationship with Yorkshire coach, Pete Cowen.
And while Westwood’s full-time caddy, Billy Foster continues to recover from a knee injury, Westwoodhas informed New Zealand born caddy stand-in, Michael Waite, who caddied for 2005 US Open champion, Michael Campbell, he longer needs his services.
Westwood actually has made the decision on Thurday and just before missing the cut in last week’s PGA Championship by two strokes with scores of 75 and 77, and less than a week after posting a third round 81 in theWGC – Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.
His Firestone flop was Westwood’s poorest round in 10 years.
Earlier this year, Westwood was third in the Masters, 10th in the U.S. Open but well down in 45th in The Open.
Cowen has been by Westwood’s side in his seven top-three’s in the Majors but as Westwood’smanager, ‘Chubby’ Chandler revealed, he said Westwood just was getting Cowen’sfull attention.
“Lee is very structured about going to the gym, but not about practising, so when ‘G Mac’ (GraemeMcDowell) and Pete’s other players are booking him, Lee is leaving it late and is having to work around them,” said Chandler.
“Pete was here for two days with Graeme this week when Lee wanted to work with him, so it just wasn’t working out.
“But when you miss the cut as Lee did this week, it gets even more frustrating, and that probably brought matters to a head.
“And Lee admits he needed to shake things up because he’d lost his focus and his enthusiasm a bit, because he wasn’t getting the rewards for his long game.”
Chandler would not reveal Westwood’s new coach but he will commence working at next week’s Barclays Championship in New York, and the first event of the lucrative FedEx Cup Play-off Series.
However his new caddy before Foster finally returns will be South African, Mike Kerr who has been working for the past seven weeks with Spain’s Alvaro Quiros.
But after Quiros looks set not to qualify for the Ryder Cup, he’s elected to take an eight-week break from the game.
And despite not playing all four rounds in the PGA Championship Westwood has retained his World No. 4ranking.
