Colin Montgomerie has issued a blunt demand to Tiger Woods ahead of The Open, with the 15-time major champion’s former Ryder Cup teammate claiming it is hard to watch him play

Colin Montgomerie, the golf star, has suggested that it’s time for Tiger Woods to retire, brutally asking, “What the hell is he doing?” Woods, the winner of 15 major championships, is scheduled to partake in The Open Championship next week.

Despite his continual struggle with injuries, Woods persists in competing in the majors in hopes of achieving one last victory before his legendary career concludes. However, Montgomerie, known for his contributions to the Ryder Cup, finds it testing to witness the 48-year-old golfing icon in action.

So far this year, Woods has only participated in four tournaments. He was compelled to withdraw from The Genesis Invitational because of the flu in February, which was followed by a 60th position finish at The Masters two months later.

More recently, he did not qualify at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, a stark contrast to the 82-time PGA Tour champ fans once knew.

Montgomerie expressed particular concern over Wood’s performance at Pinehurst No. 2 last month. Considered one of the harshest U.S. Opens in recent memory, Woods came up short.

Montgomerie, 61, expressed worry that Woods may face a similar situation next week at Royal Troon where the 152nd Open will commence. The Scot urged Woods to bow out gracefully.

Montgomerie says it is sad to see Woods lose the aura he had when they were competing against each other ( Image: Andrew Redington/ALLSPORT/Getty)

“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” he told The Times. 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, who knows the difficulty of leaving the game due to his own unfulfilled ambitions, believes it’s time for Woods to retire. The 31-time European Tour winner, one of the best players never to win a major, said he is “realistic” about the situation.

“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie stated. “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.”

Woods’ career has been plagued by injuries, and a high-speed car crash in 2021 made the challenge of playing four consecutive rounds against the world’s best players even more daunting. He underwent reconstructive ankle surgery, which alleviated some pain but compromised his mobility.

The golf legend finds himself in a vicious cycle of inadequate tournament preparation due to his health issues, leading to performances that don’t match his extraordinary talent.

After missing the cut at Pinehurst, Woods hinted that his retirement might be imminent. “As far as my last Open Championship or US Open Championship, I don’t know what that is. It may or may not be,” he confessed.

Woods continues to show his competitive spirit, pushing through pain to participate in the events he has. However, the world of golf may soon witness the departure of arguably its greatest player from the grand stage.