European Ryder Cup icon Colin Mongtomerie has implored Tiger Woods to retire on the eve of The Open Championship at Royal Troon. next week.
European Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie has urged Tiger Woods to retire, suggesting that the once-dominant aura surrounding the 48-year-old has dissipated. Montgomerie made these comments in a recent interview with The Times of London. Woods is set to make his 23rd appearance in golf’s oldest major next week. He made his debut in 1995…
European Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie has urged Tiger Woods to retire, suggesting that the once-dominant aura surrounding the 48-year-old has dissipated. Montgomerie made these comments in a recent interview with The Times of London.
Woods is set to make his 23rd appearance in golf’s oldest major next week. He made his debut in 1995 and has won the claret jug three times (2000, 2005, and 2006) over his illustrious career.
Montgomerie expressed his concern, fearing that the 15-time major champion is now becoming a shadow of his former self. “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie said. “There is none of that now. At Pinehurst [the 2024 US Open], he did not seem to enjoy a single shot, and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon, and he won’t enjoy it there either.”
Woods has always maintained that he won’t become a ceremonial golfer. However, his performance since returning to action after his February 2021 car crash has been far from stellar.
In 2022, Woods made the cut at Augusta National in his surprising return but posted consecutive rounds of 78 over the weekend to finish 47th. A month later, he withdrew from the PGA Championship after the third round at Southern Hills Country Club due to a metal screw in his right foot protruding the skin, as revealed by Jason Day. That same year, he missed the cut at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, a moment Montgomerie previously stated should have been his farewell, as tears flowed on the Swilcan Bridge and Rory McIlroy doffed his cap as he walked up the first fairway.
Last year, Woods made the cut at Augusta National again but withdrew after the third round, followed by more surgery. This year, he finished 60th at the major as Scottie Scheffler secured his second green jacket. Woods also missed the cut at both the PGA Championship and the US Open.
Despite Woods likely insisting in his pre-tournament news conference that he can still be competitive, Montgomerie remains skeptical. “Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” he said. “There is a time for all sportsmen to say goodbye, but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go. Obviously, he still feels he can win. We are more realistic.”