Tiger waves off Monty
Woods responds curtly to Colin Montgomerie's retirement suggestion; Bryson hopes to sweep Opens; Tiger reaches out to Rory
Tiger Woods addresses the media Tuesday at the Open at Royal Troon. (Charlie Crowhurst/R&A via Getty Images)
Tiger Woods’ results over the past three years have not suggested he is at a level of a contending golfer. Far from it. Just this year, he’s played only nine competitive rounds. He made the cut at the Masters for a record 24th consecutive time, then finished last among those who played the weekend. His poor play led to missing the cut at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.
As a result, Woods arrived at Royal Troon for the Open Championship with plenty of doubters. It’s understandable. The car crash from February 2021 severely impacted his lower right leg. He had another surgery in April of last year and didn’t play again until December. It’s fair to wonder just how long Woods wants to continue.
But isn’t it for him to decide? For all Woods has done in the game, he deserves the right to say when enough is enough. Even if he is playing longer than some would like.
In that regard, European Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie made headlines last week when The Times (of London) quoted him in a story that, among other things, said Woods should retire.
Woods, of course, had a pithy response when asked about it Tuesday during a pre-tournament news conference.
“Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin’s not,” Woods said. “So he doesn’t get the opportunity to make that decision. I do.”
Zing.
The comments that led to Woods’ reaction:
“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.”