Pete Cowen, who helped guide Lee Westwood to world number one, has scooped a double honour at the 2010 UK Coaching Awards.
Sheffield-based Cowen, a PGA Master Professional, was named coach of the year and also high-performance coach of the year in a glittering ceremony at The Brewery, London.
Cowen’s high-profile charges have enjoyed a spectacular year with Westwood usurping Tiger Woods at the top of the golf rankings, while Graeme McDowell won the US Open and Louis Oosthuizen lifted the Open Championship.
The former PGA Cup player beat off strong competition from England Cricket coach Andy Flower and Great Britain Boxing Performance Director Rob McCracken.
Kyle Phillpots, PGA director of education and career development said: “Pete has been an outstanding PGA professional for many years and many of his players have had great success on tour.
“In 2010 he and his players have had an amazing year and it is a reflection of his coaching that this success has been spread over a number of his players rather than just one. Many sports in Britain are forced to recruit their coaches from overseas so it is great to see a British coach who is sought out by overseas players. It shows the strength of golf coaching produced by PGA professionals.”
Jane Booth, the PGA’s coach education manager, was also nominated as coach educator of the year, while the PGA’s Right Coach, Right Place, Right Time earned recognition in the coaching intervention of the year category.
“As the PGA coach education manager for GB&I, Jane fully deserves this recognition,” added Phillpots. “She has provided the vision, structure and organisation to ensure that PGA professionals and volunteer coaches working together can bring more people into golf and then help them achieve their potential.
“And behind the simple message of Right Coach, Right Place, Right Time, that has been adopted by all the home unions working together with the PGA, lies a lot of hard work and a coherent structure. It aims to provide each golfer access to the coach that has the skills and understanding to help them develop their golf regardless of age or ability. It can help grow the game of golf by bringing more people in and improving the standards of those who already play.”
The PGA was also nominated as part of the governing body of the year for its work in the Golf: GB & Ireland Coaching Framework.