Xander Schauffele makes feelings clear on Colin Montgomerie telling Tiger Woods to.
Xander Schauffele has disagreed with Colin Montgomerie’s recent comments
Open title contender Xander Schauffele has given his thoughts on whether or not Tiger Woods should hang up his clubs for good after Colin Montgomerie urged him to retire from golf
Xander Schauffele has shot down Colin Montgomerie ‘s suggestion Tiger Woods should retire despite his dire run at The Open.
Fifteen-time major champion Woods, 48, was miles off the pace at Royal Troon, where a 36-hole score of 14-over-par saw him exit after two rounds. However, the golf icon hadn’t even hit his first tee before Schauffele dismissed Montgomerie’s recent assertion that it’s high time Woods left the pro circuit.
Montgomerie, 61, drew criticism for his comments in The Times, where he said: “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. 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.”
The Brit’s doubt in the legend’s current ability didn’t stop there, though, as he suggested it’s actually past the point at which Woods should have called it a day. Olympic gold medal-winner Schauffele couldn’t disagree more, however, and suggested he hopes to see one of his heroes take to the fairways for as long as he feels able.
Tiger Woods had perfect response after run-in with security at The Open
Dustin Johnson doesn’t blame wife Paulina Gretzky as explanation given for The Open absence
“Whether it’s his honest opinion or not, the game of golf needs him [Woods], needs him desperately,” the 2024 PGA Championship winner said in Troon on Tuesday. “Selfishly, I want him to play as long as possible. It just helps all of the guys out here, just with the amount of eyeballs that someone like Tiger Woods brings to golf.”
Woods – who has suffered greatly from injuries stemming from a life-threatening car crash in recent years – had his own say over Montgomerie’s remarks and fired back in a typically fiery fashion. The American great highlighted the fact his British peer never won a major, making his opinion on any retirement talk all but invalid.
“Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60,” said Woods ahead of The Open. “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. So, when I get to his age, I get to still make that decision, where he doesn’t.”
Montgomerie said his comments urging Woods to retire were taken out of context ( Image:
Andrew Redington/ALLSPORT/Getty)
Woods won’t be going anywhere soon, though he has confessed he’s taking a break from golf in light of his disastrous display in Scotland. And Schauffele, 30, will have been pleased to hear his passion for play hasn’t waned in the slightest.
Montgomerie did respond once more by insisting his words were taken out of context and wished Woods well in his efforts to win The Open for a fourth time.
While his course activity has slowed considerably in recent times, Woods has been an active ambassador for the PGA Tour and was a crucial figure in battling the emergence of LIV Golf. It’s that kind of leadership that suggests he’ll continue to have a big impact on the future of golf long after his days on the greens come to a close.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.