“Jim Furyk said, ‘You’re either going to leave or I’m going to fire you’”: Mike Cowan parts ways with $60,000,000 golfer after 25 years together 

Jim Furyk and his caddie Mike 'Fluff' Cowan have separated amicably after 25 years. Furyk and Cowan partnered for the first time in the 1999 Masters and had been together since then. Their partnership is among the most iconic partnerships in golf.

The decision has been taken amid Jim Furyk's injuries. Furyk has been dealing with a back injury for two years and has to skip several tournaments. In an interview with NBC Sports, Jim Cowan said that Furyk has been pushing him for more than two months to join C.T. Pan.

Cowan said he'd have considered it if CT wanted him full-time and believed in his capabilities. Cowan said that initially he pushed the idea and told Furyk (via NBC Sports):

"Jim, I ain't going anywhere."

Cowan said that the watershed moment came during the PGA Tour Champions event in Texas in early May. Cowan said (via NBC Sports):

"It was after the Saturday round he said, 'You're either going to leave or I’m going to fire you.' He basically said it’s time to go."

Cowan said that he'd happily come back to work with Furyk if needed. He expressed that it's challenging to separate after twenty-five years but explained that Furyk's injury and uncertain return led to the decision.

Jim Furyk expressed similar emotions while talking to Golfweek. He said that he loves Cowan but he was struggling with injuries, which made him push Cowan to work for C.T. Pan. He also said that the decision could benefit Cowan financially, stating (via Golfweek):

"We play for $2 million. They play for $8-, $20-, $25-million. I knew it was a good opportunity for him, and C.T. has been playing pretty good. (Fluff) was hesitant. Because he’s a great person at heart. But I pushed and we both knew it was best for him and his family."

Furyk has had an average 2024 season and has played only three seasons with his best finish of T33 at the Hoag Classic in March. His performance in 2024 is as follows with the earnings.

• Hoag Classic: T33 ($12,600)
• The Galleri Classic: T68 ($2,134)
• Invited Celebrity Classic: T53 ($4,730)

On the other hand, C.T. Pan's performance in the 2024 season is as follows:

• Sony Open in Hawaii: Missed Cut
• WM Phoenix Open: Missed Cut
• Mexico Open at Vidanta: T3 ($429,300)
• Cognizant Classic: T28 ($59,014)
• Arnold Palmer Invitational pres. by Mastercard: 51 ($51,000)
• THE PLAYERS Championship: T42 ($93,750)
• Valero Texas Open: T51 ($21,988)
• THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson: T133

Pan earned $674,187 in 2024 in contrast to Furyk's $19,464.

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What's ahead for Jim Furyk and Mike Cowan?

Mike Cowan has partnered with several top golfers in his caddie career of almost half a century. Before Jim Furyk, Cowan was a caddie for Ed Sabo from 1976 to 1978 and Peter Jacobsen from 1978 to 1996. He also caddied for Tiger Woods from 1996 to 1999.

Jim Furyk's son Tanner will be on the bag for his father in the next few events this summer. Mike Cowan, on the other hand, is working with C.T. Pan. at the ongoing CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament in McKinney, Texas.

While talking to NBC Sports, when asked about the highlights of his time with Jim Furyk, Cowan pointed to winning the 2010 FedExCup and seeing Furyk's two sub-60 rounds on the PGA Tour. However, the ultimate highlight for him was the 2003 US Open where Furyk emerged victorious.