Tiger Woods should have ended his career at The Open earlier this year, according to a Ryder Cup legend.
Colin Montgomerie believes that Tiger's emotional walk down the 18th hole at St Andrews during The 150th Open was the "golden opportunity" to end his career. The 15-time major champion remarkably returned from last year's car crash to play in this season's Masters, PGA Championship and The Open.
Woods has won The Open on three occasions and was an emotional figure after missing the cut at this year's event, walking over the the fabled Swilcan Bridge on the Old Course for what could be the final time.
Woods has accepted that his golf career is now part-time as he continues to battle leg injuries sustained in the horrific crash. Montgomerie, who is known for his Ryder Cup heroics, believes that was the perfect time for Tiger to say goodbye to top level golf.
"That was the time,” said Montgomerie talking on The Bunkered Podcast. “Stand on that bridge, start waving, and everyone goes, ‘So, is that it?’ Yeah, it is. It would have been a glorious way to go. The stands were full, the world’s TV cameras – from all continents – were on him, he’s walking up there on his own, tears were in his eyes obviously… you can’t beat that walk. I’ve done it myself. When the stands are full, you cannot beat that walk.
"I tell you what, that is a special, special arena. It’s a theatre. That was the time for Tiger to say, ‘Okay, I bow out.’
Tiger's emotion came from the fact the Old Course is only used every five years - with him having won two of his The Open titles on the iconic course. Woods is likely to retire before it is used again due to his ongoing injury issues.
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"I don’t know if I will be physically able to play by then," Wood said after saying farewell to the iconic course. "So, to me, it felt like this might have been my last British Open here at St Andrews."
Woods again hinted at retirement last month after pulling out of the Hero World Challenge due to a foot injury but plans to play on in 2023 with his part-time career for the time being. "My goal is to play the major championships and one or two more," said Woods last month. "Physically that's all I can do."
But Montgomerie believes the 15-time major winner might struggle to win PGA Tour events due to the standard of players.
“The standard is improving all the time and there’s not one or two guys that can beat him now, there’s 22 guys that can beat him," added Montgomerie.
"So, it’s Tiger trying to get not back to where he was but to get to a standard he’s never been at before and I don’t think that’s possible. I can’t see that happening. I’d love it to happen because it’s great for the game. I would love him to win. But I just can’t see it happening.”
