By Ben Morse and Patrick Snell, CNN
(CNN) — Tiger Woods rebutted calls for him to retire from former world No. 2 Colin Montgomerie ahead of The Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club.
In an interview with The UK’s Times published last week, Montgomerie suggested that it was time for Woods to hang up his golf clubs amid battles with injury and form.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” said Montgomerie. “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.”
When it was put to him that Woods has said he will retire when he feels he is no longer competitive, Montgomerie added: “Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there. 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.
“These guys only know Tiger Woods missing the cut and he’s better than that, the best we’ve ever seen.”
In his pre-tournament press conference ahead of this year’s Open, which tees off Thursday, Woods took the opportunity to address Montgomerie’s comments, referencing the fact that he has earned automatic qualification for the major through his past victories at the event.
“Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin’s not,” the 48-year-old Woods told reporters. “He’s not a past champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t get the opportunity to make that decision. I do.”
Woods has battled with injuries and rehabilitation ever since suffering leg injuries in a serious car crash in 2021.
The 15-time major winner has prioritized appearances at the four major championships in his sporadic competitive appearances in recent years.
After the 2023 Masters in which Woods withdrew with injury, Montgomerie told CNN Sport’s Patrick Snell that the US golfer might have missed the perfect opportunity to walk away from the sport in the previous year.
“It was very difficult to see. I don’t think Augusta was the course to come back on. Augusta is a mountain climb,” he said. “It’s very, very physically demanding. More so than anyone would ever imagine. So to come back on that one was unfortunate. The cold, damp weather on Saturday was enough for him. It was too much.
“Should he have retired last year at St. Andrew’s (at The Open in 2022)? The opportunity was golden. The sun was shining. The Swilcan bridge was waiting for the wave. A lot of people thought it might happen then. It possibly should have done.”
In the three majors in 2024, Woods has missed the cut at two – the PGA Championship and the US Open – while he finished 60th at the Masters.
Woods has won The Open in 2000, 2005 and 2006. Although he has struggled physically in recent years, he said his body is “feeling better” in the lead up to this year’s tournament.
“I’ve been training a lot better. We’ve been busting it pretty hard in the gym, which has been good. Body’s been feeling better to be able to do such things, and it translates on being able to hit the ball better,” he said.
“Can’t quite stay out there during a practice session as long as I’d like, but I’m able to do some things that I haven’t done all year, which is nice.”
The-CNN-Wire
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