For over a quarter of a century, caddie legend Mike "Fluff" Cowan and golf pro Jim Furyk formed an inseparable duo on the course. But now they have parted ways by mutual agreement, as Cowan has found his way back onto the PGA Tour.
The end of an era.
Jim Furyk and Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan have amicably parted ways after 25 years together. The 76-year-old will now caddie for C.T. Pan full-time. pic.twitter.com/Hut4liBJ3M — PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 3, 2024
Separation from Jim Furyk: Mike "Fluff" Cowan returns to the PGA Tour
Cowan, who already stood on the green alongside Tiger Woods in the late 1990s, is now returning to the big stage of golf. At this week's CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas, he is supporting Taiwanese professional C.T. Pan. "It's hard to say goodbye after 25 years," Cowan commented to Golfweek. "But sometimes it's necessary to make the right move, even if it's difficult." The decision comes at a time when Jim Furyk has been sidelined by injuries for the last two years. His best result on the Champions Tour this season was a tied 33rd place at the Hoag Classic in March.
"We're playing for two million dollars. They're playing for 8, 20, 25 million," Furyk wrote in a message to Golfweek. "I knew it was a good opportunity for him, and C.T. is playing pretty well. (Fluff) was hesitant. Because he's a great person at heart. But I pushed and we both knew it was the best thing for him and his family." Compared to Furyk's modest earnings of 19,464 US dollars this season, the 32-year-old Pan has already earned 674,187 US dollars. For Furyk's son Tanner, the split has created a special opportunity to caddie for his father at three or four events this summer.
Cowan can look back on an impressive career in which he has worked for golfers such as Ed Sabo (1976-78), Peter Jacobsen (1978-96) and Tiger Woods (1996-99).