European Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie has called for Tiger Woods to retire from professional golf ahead of next week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Montgomerie who grew up playing at Troon told the London Times that, Woods’ performance at Pinehurst was a clear sign that the 15-time major winner needs to call time on his playing career.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie told the Times. “There is none of that now. At Pinehurst 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.”
Since ankle surgery after last year’s Masters Woods has competed just five times while this year he has withdrawn from the Genesis Open and missed the cut at the US Open and PGA Championship.
Woods did play all four rounds at Augusta this term but finished 60th despite making the cut for a record 24th successive time.
Back and leg battles continue to plague Woods and ahead of his latest Open Championship appearance, Monty feels the moment to say goodbye was during that poignant and emotional Friday at St Andrews in 2022.
“That was the time,” Montgomerie told the Times after Woods missed the cut. “Stand on that bridge, start waving, and everyone goes, ‘So, is that it?’ Yeah, it is. It would have been a glorious way to go. The stands were full, the world’s TV cameras—from all continents—were on him, he’s walking up there on his own, tears were in his eyes obviously… you can’t beat that walk.”
Woods has continuously stressed that he will tee it up in major championships as long s he feels like he can win. The 48-year-old looks set to tee it up on the Champions Tour also when he turns 50 and as a past winner of the Open he is exempt until aged 60 and has lifetime exemptions to the Masters and PGA Championship.
Woods was given a special exemption to the US Open last month and Montgomerie believes the clock has ticked past Woods’ time.
“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie said of Woods’s ability to win. “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.”
