Dubai: World No 3 Lee Westwood, currently leading 15-under par 201 (69,66,67) at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, finished second at The Masters and The Open Championship in 2010, while finishing third at The PGA Championship and US Open in 2008, 2009 and 2011. But despite turning professional in 1993 and after having won 37 titles, the ultimate honour still eludes him.
A matter of time
Cowen, who started working with Westwood in 1995, said: "For me it's only a question of time. The Major he probably should have won was at Turnberry [The 2010 Open Championship]. If you keep putting yourself in a position to win a Major, the door will open up to you eventually. It opened up for Monty [Colin Montgomerie] but he didn't take it."
With a stable of clients from Darren Clarke to Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen to double merit-winning Luke Donald, Cowen has coached players to a combined three Majors and 31 titles in the last two years.
Cowen adds: "We've all talked about that elusive Major, that's all that's left for his CV. If he doesn't win one this year, he's fit enough to go on another four or five years. In the 20 Majors that stand between then and now, he would have won at least one by then."
Asked if he knew when stars in his stable were peaking in time for a Major, Cowen said: "Not at all. Like when McDowell or Oosthuizen won the year before at the Open, they had no particular form going into the competition, and then bang.
"They have to have talent to be able to do that, and they are all talented. It's whether it comes out on that specific day over those four weeks a year."
