Tiger Woods didn’t hold back after Colin Montgomerie’s comments before the 2024 Open

“Aren’t we there? 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.

“These guys only know Tiger Woods missing the cut and he’s better than that, the best we’ve ever seen.”

Tiger Woods’ response to Colin Montgomerie

Montgomerie’s remarks were clearly well-intentioned, but certain phrases can sound more blunt when taken out of context.

So it wasn’t unexpected that Tiger was short when he responded to what had been said. He pointed out the difference in their situations quite clearly.

“Well, as a past [Open] champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60,” he said. “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.”

The Guardian later reported that Montgomerie took to social media to address the situation: “If golf writers want my thoughts on Tiger please ask me direct, rather than taking a quote from an interview out of context. Wishing Tiger an enjoyable and successful week.”

Things didn’t go well for Woods at Royal Troon either, where he was among several big names who failed to make the cut.

And it’s worth noting that his appearance there remains his last start in an individual event.

What Woods has done since missing the cut at The Open Championship

He did play in the PNC Championship in December, while he made several appearances in the inaugural season in TGL.

But he did not play in a single major in 2025. Woods ruptured his Achilles in March. Meanwhile, he confirmed last week that he has undergone back surgery. It is not yet clear how long he will be sidelined for.

With that, Montgomerie will likely feel vindicated for what he said about Woods. Some do not think Woods will play in another major. It is a desperately sad situation for someone who absolutely deserves to pick the moment he departs the stage he largely built for the final time.

You can never write off Tiger Woods. The 2019 Masters proved that remained the case. Woods is the man who won a major on one leg back in 2008. He needed to play 91 holes to win on that occasion too.

However, every setback makes a return even harder to picture. And if his body does give him enough of a break to allow him to set his sights on playing again, Woods then has to find a way to be competitive on the course.

The brutal truth is that Woods needs potentially the greatest comeback of his career to prove Montgomerie wrong.