Colin Montgomerie isn’t sure if last month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst was Tiger Woods’ last.
“It may or may not be,” Montgomerie said during a recent interview with The Times of London.
In Montgomerie’s eyes, it likely should be.
The 61-year-old Montgomerie never won a major championship, but he was runner-up four times, including once to Woods in the 2005 Open Championship at St. Andrews. Montgomerie also fell to Woods in a playoff at the 2002 SAP Open, but in five meetings in Ryder Cup team play, Montgomerie’s side took three of those matches over Woods and his partner. Montgomerie has seen Woods at his best; this version of Woods, the opinionated Scot says, is far from that.
Woods had either missed the cut or withdrawn from eight of his 13 major starts since winning the 2019 Masters. He’s played only seven majors since a February 2021 car accident that severely injured his right leg.
In his most recent major appearance, Woods shot 74-73 to miss the cut by two shots at Pinehurst No. 2. Woods had accepted a special invitation to play in that U.S. Open, the first time he’s needed such an exemption.
Woods is committed to play next week’s Open at Royal Troon.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie added. “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.”
Montgomerie was then asked if it was time for Woods to retire.
“Aren’t we there?” Montgomerie replied. “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.”