Colin Montgomerie makes fresh Tiger Woods remark after retirement controversy
Tiger Woods, who has won 15 major championships, has struggled to compete on the PGA Tour since suffering leg injuries in a serious car crash three-and-a-half years ago
Colin Montgomerie believes Tiger Woods has lost his 'aura' on the golf course.
Woods, celebrated as one of the all-time greats in golf's history, has been struggling to reclaim his competitive edge on the PGA Tour after suffering serious leg injuries in a car accident in February 2021. The 48-year-old has played in only five tournaments so far this year, making the cut in just one: the Masters.
Scottish golf legend Montgomerie, who often tussled with Woods during their primes, inadvertently caused a stir last month when comments he made were interpreted as a suggestion for Woods to retire. Montgomerie, 61, has cleared the air since, stating his words were taken out of context.
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Even so, Woods faced questions about Montgomerie's initial remarks preceding the Open Championship last month. Responding to whether retirement was on his mind, Woods stated confidently: "Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt. Colin’s not. He’s not a past champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t get the opportunity to make that decision. I do."
Montgomerie revisited the topic in a recent interview with the Daily Mail. "Yes, I was," he said when asked if he was misunderstood. "The journalist (at the press conference) said my name and used the word 'retire' and that was wrong.
"I didn’t say 'retire'. I wanted him (Woods) to be remembered as the player he was and not the player he currently is. The last five or six majors have not been good (for Woods). And I want him to be remembered the way he was as a contender and not just as a competitor.
"It’s a shame to see because the enjoyment doesn’t seem to be there for him as it was when he was contending. It was that fist pump, it was the whole Tiger scene around him, that aura that he had which was incredible. I don’t see that. No. And it’s a shame."
Montgomerie hopes Woods won't just "fizzle out" at next year's Masters, but acknowledges that the five-time Augusta champion is fighting to keep his career alive. Despite plans to play one event per month in 2024, Woods' schedule hasn't panned out. Woods is set to tee off again in December at The Hero World Challenge, but if his struggles continue, he could find himself on the Champions Tour after turning 50 in December 2025.
Montgomerie, who has tasted success on the senior circuit with three major wins, reflected on his own achievements. "The first one was the USPGA in 2014 and I thought, right, now I belong," added Montgomerie in his interview with the Daily Mail. "It felt like a tick in the right box and it gave me huge confidence. I won the US Open and another PGA the following year. It was a big deal."
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