Williamsburg (Virginia): Mike “Fluff” Cowan is best known for carrying the clubs of Tiger Woods so he knows something about caddying for golf prodigies.
Cowan was the caddie for American Woods when Woods burst onto the PGA scene in 1996. He will be the caddie for teen phenomenon Michelle Wie in the $2.2 million LPGA Michelob Ultra Open, which begins Thursday at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa.
“This is going to be a really fun week with Fluff on my bag,” said the 14-year-old Wie, who is playing here on a sponsor’s exemption. Wie missed the cut in the PGA Tour’s Sony Open by a shot in January and finished fourth in the Nabisco Championship — the first LPGA major of the year — in March.
With Cowan as his caddie, Woods won twice in 1996 and captured the Masters in 1997. Despite his success, Woods switched in 1998 to Steve Williams, who remains his caddie.
Cowan had been working for Jim Furyk, who is sidelined indefinitely, and caddied for Brad Faxon last month at The Masters.
An amateur from Hawaii, Wie finished with a 7-under 281 in the Nabisco Championship. “Being in the hunt there was a wonderful experience,” Wie said. “Being under pressure where every shot counts, it is just a wonderful thing.”
Grace Park ended up winning the Nabisco with an 11-under 277 and is the defending champion here. In 2003, Park nearly jinxed herself heading into the final round when she told a crowded media room that she had never lost a final-round lead, dating all the way back to her days in junior golf.
But the 24-year-old South Korean ended up having to drain a 20-foot par putt on the final hole to stave off a four-way playoff. She finished at 9-under 275, one stroke ahead of Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb and Lorena Ochoa.
Last week, Park finished tied for second place at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship with a 13-under 275.
Jennifer Rosales earned her first LPGA Tour title last Sunday, posting a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 for a one-stroke victory. Rosales erased a four-stroke deficit and finished with a 72-hole total of 14-under 274.
