PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Pete Cowen has been busy this week at the Honda Classic, but all his work wasn’t at the tournament.
Cowen, the popular European swing coach, made the trip to Lake Nona in Orlando Thursday to help Henrik Stenson get ready for his 2017 PGA Tour debut at next week’s WGC-Mexico Championship. Stenson finished second at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic two weeks ago and tied for eighth at the Abu Dhabi Championship in January in his first European Tour starts of the year.
Stenson, 40, is No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but Cowen believes he has been good enough to be No. 1 for a long time now.
“If Henrik listened to me correctly and did everything I’ve asked him to do, he would’ve been No. 1 in the world for the last 15 years,” Cowen cracked Saturday at the back of the driving range at PGA National. “I’m saying that tongue in cheek, but it’s almost true. He’s probably done about 30 percent of what I’ve asked him to do over the years.”
Stenson and Cowen have a strong bond and enjoy taking jabs at each other. They’ve worked together for 16 years.
“I’ve tried to get rid of him a few times, but he just won’t leave,” Cowen said.
Cowen said it would be satisfying seeing Stenson rise to No. 1, just as it was satisfying seeing him win his first major last year - The Open at Royal Troon - given the hard times they came back from together. Cowen helped Stenson come back from a slump so severe in ’01 that the Swede walked off the course at the European Open because he didn’t think he could keep his ball in bounds.
“I think Henrik would like to get No. 1, but winning another major is what he’s really focused on,” Cowen said.
Cowen said Stenson probably sets up best at Royal Birkdale this year, where he will defend his Open title. Stenson tied for third there in ’08, when Padraig Harrington won The Open, but they also spent time at Lake Nona talking about Augusta National and the Masters.
Stenson’s best finish at the Masters’ is a tie for 17th.
“He’s never really taken it on,” Cowen said. “Hopefully, he’ll try to take it on more. To win there, you have to make at least 16 birdies, maybe as many as 20. We’re trying to find out where we are going to make those 20 birdies.”