Nick Faldo blames "lack of communication" for his split with David Leadbetter, the American-based coach who had guided him for 13 years. He confirmed in Cologne yesterday that he had told the British-born Leadbetter of his decision by letter and had switched to the head professional at his own Florida teaching academy. declaring: "I'd got bogged down."
The parting comes after a desperate summer in which Faldo has missed the cut in the US Masters and US Open, finished 42nd in the British Open and 54th in the US PGA Championship and recorded the worst score of his American career, a closing 83 to finish last in the Heritage Classic.
Leadbetter, called in to re-build Faldo's swing in 1985, was a key figure in his victories in the 1987, 1990 and 1992 Open championships and the 1989, 1990 and 1996 US Masters.
But he explained: "Things haven't been working out with David lately. I've been busting my buns the last few months and getting nowhere - it was a total lack of communication.
"David wasn't at the PGA Championship and I hadn't seen him for five weeks - he seemed more intent on doing his own thing and it was time for a change. I asked Chip Koehlke, whom I appointed as head coach of my Faldo Golf Academy in Florida, to have a look at my swing and I'm very impressed with him.
"He studied every single aspect of my game and showed a lot of bottle by saying things I've done for years were wrong and advising just the opposite. Chip is a disciple of my own registered teaching system and all the things I preach, the Hogan principles and everything.
"He is best placed to unravel the knots and get me back to my old thoughts and translate that into feel. He's put in his own twopen'th and we've covered everything, right down to the putting, which was great in Paris last week."
Faldo added: "I just popped in (to the academy) and decided to have a lesson. He had a look at me and said to improve I might have to do the opposite of what I was doing at the moment.
"I cancelled a couple of flights and had about 10 days with him before taking him to France last week. He told me what's what."
Faldo, who intends playing more in Europe next year, had Koehlke, who is of Polish extraction, with him at the Lancome Trophy, where he bounced back to top form with a last round of 65 which took him to sixth place.
John Simpson, who has looked after Faldo's business affairs for 20 years via the International Management Group and then as his personal manager, says: "The transformation is incredible.
"Chip is not some super-star guru. He's basically just instructing Nick in Nick's own methods. His split with David Leadbetter was not easy because he's such a loyal guy. But he's had physical problems, principally golfer's elbow, and whether these result from what he's been trying to do on the practice ground he'll never know."
Leadbetter admits he was "upset to receive a cursory note" ending his relationship with Faldo, for whom he insists he still has the greatest respect.
He adds: "He's not always endeared himself to me from a personal point of view, but he's been a great pupil and has, of course, been fabulous for my career. I'd like to think I've been good for him.
"It's disappointing when you work so hard with a player for so many years. We had a good relationship, as far as these things go in this field. Sometimes you need a fresh outlook, I suppose. Still, it was a bit of a shock."
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)