Who Was Tiger Woods’ Caddie When He Won the 1997 Masters?

The 1997 Masters is considered one of the special events in the career of Tiger Woods. It was the first time the now 15-time major winner had won a major championship. Although the golfer won his first green jacket with his hard work, he couldn’t have won it if not for the help of his caddie at the time. 

Mike “Fluff” Cowan was Woods’ caddie when he had won the Masters in 1997. Cowan had caddied for the golfer since he turned pro in 1996. Although the pair didn’t last more than three years together, Cowan had assisted Woods in establishing his name on the PGA Tour. 

Let’s find out more about Mike Cowan, whom Woods had considered the “best caddie in the world.” 

Who is Mike “Fluff” Cowan? 

Born in 1948, Cowan has caddied on the PGA Tour for more than 40 years. He began his career as a caddie with Ed Sabo. The pair parted soon, and he began assisting the veteran player Peter Jacobsen. 

Nicknamed Fluff, Cowan worked with Jacobsen for 18 years, from 1978 to 1996. Before parting with him, Cowan had helped the PGA Tour player win his six championship titles. 

Read more: How Many Green Jackets Does Tiger Woods Have? A Glimpse Into His Masters History

Woods then hired Cowan to be his caddy at his debut tournament, the Greater Milwaukee Open, in 1996. Furthermore, he famously helped Woods win his first Masters in 1997, with a record 12-shot lead. The pair, too, split ways in 1999. 

Notably, Cowan got inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 1999 for his years of contributions to his profession. 

Why did Tiger Woods and Mike Cowan split? 

In the first two years of his career, Woods experienced nothing but success. He had won six championship titles in these years, including his first major. However, the golfer could only win one PGA Tour title in 1998. 

Although the reason is still unknown, the relationship between Cowan and Woods began to waver in early 1999. Reportedly, the two had a verbal disagreement with each other during the Nissan Open. Moreover, Woods hired one of his friends to be his caddie for the next couple of tournaments. 

Furthermore, Woods announced he and Cowan parted ways in the March of the same year. 

What is Cowan doing in 2022?

The veteran PGA Tour caddie still carries the bag on the official tournaments. Since his departure from Woods’ team, Cowan began caddying for Jim Furyk and still works with him. 

The legendary caddie assisted Furyk, won his first major in 2003 at the US Open. Moreover, he has also been with Furyk when he shot 58 in the 2016 Travelers Championship. Notably, it was the first time a golfer had shot a 58 in the history of the PGA Tour.

Furthermore, the 72-year-old Cowan caddied once more for Jacobsen in his last tournament before retirement. 

Jacobsen played his 662nd and last tournament at the 2022 AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

It has been 46 years since he has begun his career. Yet, Cowan still continues to caddie for golfers. What do you think of his career? 

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