Tiger Woods smiles during his pre-tournament press conference at The 152nd Open Championship. | Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour via Getty Images
At his pre-tournament press conference, Tiger Woods cheekily responded to a question about Colin Montgomerie’s prior retirement comments.
As Tiger Woods gets older, he seems to have a more gregarious, cheeky vibe about him in his press conferences with the media.
Tuesday at The Open Championship was no different.
A few days after Ryder Cup stalwart Colin Montgomerie suggested that Woods should retire soon, the 15-time major champion fielded a question about those comments.
“Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin’s not,” Woods said with a smirk.
“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 struggled in major championships over the past couple of years, laboring through 72 holes after his terrible car accident in February 2021. His best finish in a major came at the 2022 Masters—his first one back after the accident—as he has three missed cuts and two withdrawals since then. Woods also finished in solo 60th at this year’s Masters.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. There is none of that now,” Montgomerie said to The Times of London.
“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.”
Woods, now 48, has suggested that he will put the clubs away and retire from the professional game when he believes the time is right.
“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie said, referencing Woods’ suggestion.
“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.”
Woods still believes he can win against the world’s best players. Of all four majors, perhaps The Open Championship offers him the best chance to do so. Woods can still hit all the shots required and use his imagination to parade around the seaside links, and the flatter terrain will not wear on his legs as much. Granted, the colder climate will make it more difficult for him to get looser—as will this week’s Late/Early draw on Thursday and Friday, but he is still one of the greatest links players ever. He has three Claret Jugs to prove it.
“When I get to his age, I get to still make that decision,” Woods added, referencing Montgomerie.
“He doesn’t.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
