The Peter Cowen Diary: ‘We are working on Joaquin Niemann’s short game’

It has again been another dramatic day at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. It was perhaps not as hot as yesterday (Thursday), it certainly felt warmer than the published high of 33 degrees.

After today’s second round I spent 2 ½ hours with Joaquin Niemann (Chile) on his short game on and around the excellent facilities at Yas Links.

He is suffering on the greens, which you cannot afford to do here and has had rounds of 66 and 72 to be lying in tied 39th.

Joaquin, a LIV Golf player, now has three coaches looking after his swing: a swing coach, a putting coach and me doing my best as his short game coach. He also has a fitness coach as well as trainer, and of course, a caddie and manager.

That is seven in total, how the game has changed since my day, but that is for another day’s diary.

My other two players: Guido Migliozzi (It) has had rounds of 68 and 71 to be tied 48th and a guy I have only just started looking at, Grant Forrest (Scot) who has struggled recently. Let’s hope Grant can turn around his game, if it was an easy game, we would all still be playing golf professionally. He has proved he has the talent with his only DP World Tour victory to date, at the 2021 HERO Open at Fairmont, St Andrews in his home country of Scotland.

I walked nine holes with Joaquin today, it looks a nice walk for the players, caddies and all the scorers, TV crew etc within the ropes. It is one of the toughest to walk as a spectator, I am sure the on-site medics will have a few twisted ankles and the like on their medical reports at the end of each day.

- Peter Cowen, 73, is a renowned coach with the most tournament wins in his career. He operates the Peter Cowen Academies at Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf Resort, with his headquarters in Rotherham, England.