Rory McIlroy set for major coaching change in bid to regain form

Former World No 1 set to hire Pete Cowen as new swing coach

Earlier this month, Rory McIlroy admitted he needed ‘a spark’ as he battles to return to winning ways. Picture: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy looks set to hire a new swing coach in a bid to rediscover his form, just two weeks before he heads to Augusta for the Masters.

Reports last night suggested the former World No 1 is set to team up with Pete Cowen, coach to Brooks Koepka among many others.

The Telegraph reported on Monday that the Co Down man has told fellow pros of his “change in direction” in appointing Cowen.

There was no official comment from McIlroy or Cowen on the report.

The move would be a major change for McIlroy, who has been coached by Michael Bannon since he was a juvenile at Hollywood Golf Club.

Earlier this month, McIlroy admitted he needed ‘a spark’ as he battles to return to winning ways.

Meanwhile, McIlroy will begin his Masters prep with a matchplay clash against a rival he knows too well, Ian Poulter, in Wednesday's WGC-Dell Match Play Championship in Austin, Texas. 

Just over an hour later, Shane Lowry will square off against the USA's Ryan Palmer in his first joust of the championship.

Monday's group draw sees Lowry with world number three John Rahm, Palmer and Sebastian Munoz. McIlroy will play Poulter, Cameron Smith and Lanto Griffin.

The players will play each of the other members of their group in 18-hole matches, with wins being worth one point and ties a half-point. The player with the most points advances to the Round of 16. In the case of a tie, a stroke-play, hole-by-hole playoff determines the group winner. 

The Round of 16 and quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday while the semifinals, final and third-place matches will be played Sunday.

The leading 64 players available off the world rankings are eligible with five missing out due to various reasons - Brooks Koepka (injury), Adam Scott (scheduling), Justin Rose (injury), Gary Woodland (Covid-19) and Tiger Woods (injury).

Lowry arrives in Texas for the WGC Matchplay looking for form in what will be his final tournament ahead of next months’ Masters at Augusta. The Offaly man had a poor weekend at the Honda Open in Florida and slipped to four over par for a joint-36th place finish. Having got himself into contention with opening rounds of 67 and 66, two doubles on Sunday killed any momentum. 

WGC Dell Technologies Match play draw: Group 1: Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na, Robert MacIntyre, Adam Long; Group 2: Justin Thomas, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Kisner, Matt Kuchar; Group 3: Jon Rahm, Ryan Palmer, Shane Lowry, Sebastian Munoz; Group 4: Collin Morikawa, Billy Horschel, Max Homa, JT Poston; Group 5: Bryson DeChambeau, Tommy Fleetwood, SW Kim, Antoine Rozner; Group 6: Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Jason Day, Andy Sullivan; Group 7: Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann, Christiaan Bezedenhuit, Bubba Watson; Group 8: Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Matt Wallace; Group 9: Webb Simpson, Paul Casey, Mackenzie Hughes, Talor Gooch; Group 10: Patrick Cantlay, Hideki Matsuyama, Carlos Ortiz, Brian Harman; Group 11: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith, Lanto Griffin, Ian Poulter; Group 12: Tony Finau, Jason Kokrak, Will Zalatoris, Dylan Frittelli; Group 13: Viktor Hovland, Abraham Ancer, Bernd Wiesberger, Kevin Streelman; Group 14: Daniel Berger, Harris English, Brendon Todd, Eric Van Rooyen; Group 15: Matt Fitzpatrick, Matthew Wolff, Corey Conners, Jordan Spieth; Group 16: Sungjae Im, Victor Perez, Marc Leishman, Russell Henley.