Mike Cowan
Encyclopedia
Michael Thomas "Fluff" Cowan (born 1948) is a golf
caddy
on the PGA Tour
. He has caddied for Ed Sabo (1976–78), Peter Jacobsen
(1978–96), Tiger Woods
(1996–99), and Jim Furyk
(1999–present). In 2003, he caddied for Michelle Wie
for one tournament while Furyk was injured. The 2010 Ryder Cup
marked the tenth time he caddied in the Ryder Cup, where he has worked for Peter Jacobsen
, Fred Couples
, Tiger Woods
, and Jim Furyk
.
Cowan was born in Winslow, Maine
. Although with Peter Jacobsen for 18 years, Fluff's profile reached its peak as Tiger Woods' first caddy. Their first tournament together was at Woods' professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in September 1996. Cowan was on the bag for Woods' first major victory at the 1997 Masters, their only major victory together.
Following the Nissan Open
in February 1999, Cowan was released by Woods for undisclosed reasons. (Tiger replaced him with Steve Williams
of New Zealand
.)
According to the Washington Post, Cowan was fired because he revealed publicly (in a 1999 Golf Magazine interview) the salary ($1,000 a week and bonuses up to 10 percent of Woods's winnings) he was paid by Tiger Woods. Cowan was picked up a few weeks later by Jim Furyk, who had just fired his caddy; their first tournament together was the 1999 Masters. He was on the bag during Furyk's win at the 2003 U.S. Open
.
Cowan attended William Penn college in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He is a renowned Deadhead
and is a member of Congressional Country Club
in Bethesda, Maryland
; he and his wife Jennifer Cowan live in the state of Maryland.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. He has caddied for Ed Sabo (1976–78), Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen
Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...
(1978–96), Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
(1996–99), and Jim Furyk
Jim Furyk
James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing...
(1999–present). In 2003, he caddied for Michelle Wie
Michelle Wie
Michelle Sung Wie is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie would also become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for a LPGA Tour event...
for one tournament while Furyk was injured. The 2010 Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
marked the tenth time he caddied in the Ryder Cup, where he has worked for Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen
Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...
, Fred Couples
Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
, Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, and Jim Furyk
Jim Furyk
James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing...
.
Winslow, Maine
Winslow is a town and census-designated place in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, along the Kennebec River. The population was 7,743 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Although with Peter Jacobsen for 18 years, Fluff's profile reached its peak as Tiger Woods' first caddy. Their first tournament together was at Woods' professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in September 1996. Cowan was on the bag for Woods' first major victory at the 1997 Masters, their only major victory together.
Following the Nissan Open
Nissan Open
The Northern Trust Open, is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, first played in 1926. Formerly known as the Nissan Open and originally known as the Los Angeles Open, it is played annually in February in Pacific Palisades, California. The tournament has been contested at the Riviera...
in February 1999, Cowan was released by Woods for undisclosed reasons. (Tiger replaced him with Steve Williams
Steve Williams (caddy)
Steve Williams, MNZM is a New Zealander who has served as caddy for several top professional golfers, most recently with Adam Scott. Williams is most known for having served as Tiger Woods' caddy from 1999 to 2011. Woods was the top-ranked golfer in the world for much of Williams' tenure as...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.)
According to the Washington Post, Cowan was fired because he revealed publicly (in a 1999 Golf Magazine interview) the salary ($1,000 a week and bonuses up to 10 percent of Woods's winnings) he was paid by Tiger Woods. Cowan was picked up a few weeks later by Jim Furyk, who had just fired his caddy; their first tournament together was the 1999 Masters. He was on the bag during Furyk's win at the 2003 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
.
Cowan attended William Penn college in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He is a renowned Deadhead
Deadhead
Deadhead or Dead Head is a name given to fans of the American jam band, the Grateful Dead. In the 1970s, a number of fans began travelling to see the band in as many shows or festival venues as they could. With large numbers of people thus attending strings of shows, a community developed...
and is a member of Congressional Country Club
Congressional Country Club
The Congressional Country Club is a country club and golf course in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Congressional opened in 1924 and has hosted three U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship, and is an annual stop on the PGA Tour, with the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods. The tournament was first...
in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
; he and his wife Jennifer Cowan live in the state of Maryland.