Lawrie and McDaid part company

Peter Lawrie and Brendan McDaid have ended their 12-year professional partnership.

Peter Lawrie has parted company with long time coach Brendan McDaid as he bids to halt his slide and get his career back on the upward curve.

The Rathfarnham man, who turns 40 in March, reluctantly decided to spit with his coach of 12 years over Christmas having followed the most harrowing season of his career with a faltering start to the 2014 campaign in the pre-Christmas events.

Having saved his European Tour card with a last gasp Top-20 finish in the Perth International, his final event of the 2013 campaign, Lawrie missed the cut in the first three events of the 2014 campaign and opted to swap Skibbereen man McDaid for Jamie Clough.

"I really thought I was going nowhere, so things had to change," Lawrie told the Irish Independent. "So that's why I've taken the step I have. Brendan and I have been together a long time and we remain good friends. Ending a partnership like ours is tough, but this is a business and you can't be afraid of change."

Born in Donegal but raised in Skibbereen, career coach McDaid had no hard feelings.

“Since Peter was the Rookie of the Year 2003; it has been a great adventure on the European Tour together,” McDaid told the Irish Golf Club Gazette.  “Particularly retaining his playing rights in Perth at the very end of last season, which really came down to the wire and was a true test of nerve in Australia.”

Lawrie has also taken on a  new caddie in Owen O'Neill and McDaid is confident his former client with recapture his form.

“For this season a new setup makes sense and I am grateful to Peter for some great years on Tour,” he said. “No doubt he will continue to enjoy success and I wish him well.

“At times these changes can be good and it is the natural process of the game. Few things ever stay the same and the twelve years have just flashed by us both.”