Pete Cowan backing Lee Westwood for major win
Lee Westwood's rise to the world No. 1 ranking hasn't been without criticism, many onlookers pointing to the 37-year-old's inability to capture a major, at least so far in his career.
But yesterday Westwood's swing coach Pete Cowan spoke up in his student's defence, telling the Sheffield Telegraph that he had no doubt that the Englishman will eventually claim victory in one of golf's most prestigious tournaments.
"Lee has been knocking on the door for quite a while now and it’s only a matter of time before he steps through it," Cowan insisted.
Westwood is currently in action at the WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai, where he currently lies one off the lead after the second round. So to what does Cowan attribute Westwood's rise? Cowan had a somewhat offbeat explanation for the Worksop player's success, explaining he is: "very comfortable, being uncomfortable."
“Lee has always said he likes to be where it hurts because in the end it’s all about being able to handle the situation and the pressure that goes with it."
A former player on the European Tour himself, since becoming a coach Cowan has worked with some of golf's most celebrated characters, including Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, José María Olazábal, and this year's US Open champion Graeme McDowell.
Westwood and Cowan have worked together since the mid-nineties, the pair enjoying initial success that culminated in Westwood 's rise to the No. 4 position in the world in 2000.
After that, though, Westwood suffered a severe collapse in form that saw him tumble down the rankings, and it's only been in the last two years that he has regained momentum in earnest. The Briton admitted that at the height of his problems, he had even considered giving the game up.
He's flying high right now however, Westwood becoming the first Englishman since Nick Faldo to hold the top spot. And while some are predicting a short-lived stay, Cowan for one believes his pupil is only going to perform ever more adroitly in the months ahead.
Tags: