Tiger Woods responds to Colin Montgomerie’s retirement remark

TROON, Scotland — Tiger Woods, never one to ignore a dig at him, was ready to answer the question Tuesday morning in Troon.

Days earlier, Colin Montgomerie, Europe’s Ryder Cup hero and former world No. 2 – despite never winning a major championship or PGA Tour event in the United States – had made pointed comments suggesting Woods should retire.

At 48 and in diminished fitness due to leg and back injuries, Woods has not been in contention to win a tournament in years, his last victory coming at the 2019 Masters.

“I hope people remember Tiger for what he was, the passion and the charismatic aura that surrounded him,” Montgomerie told The Times of London. “There’s none of that now. At Pinehurst[for the US Open last month]he didn’t seem to enjoy a single shot and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He comes to Troon and he’s not going to enjoy it either.”

Woods, speaking at his pre-tournament press conference ahead of this week’s British Open at Troon, where Montgomerie grew up playing as a child and whose father was the club secretary, hit back at the garrulous Scot.

“As a former (Open) champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60 (and) Colin’s not,” Woods said with a wry smile. “He’s not a former champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t get to make that decision. I do. When I get to his age (61), I can still make that decision, and he won’t.”

In an interview with The Times, Montgomerie suggested that Woods should have retired at the 2022 British Open at St. Andrews.

“That was the moment,” Montgomerie said. “I got on that (Swilcan) bridge, started waving and everybody was like, ‘So that’s it?’ Yeah, that’s it.”

“It would have been a glorious way to go. The stands were packed, the television cameras from all over the world – from every continent – ​​were on him, he was walking alone, with tears in his eyes, of course… you can’t beat that walk.”

Woods has won 15 majors and has won three British Opens: St. Andrews twice (2002 and 2005) and Royal Liverpool (2006).

“There’s a time when all sportspeople have to say goodbye, but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go,” Montgomerie said. “Obviously he still feels he can win. We’re more realistic.”

Not in Woods’ eyes.