Tiger claps back at Montgomerie: 'He's not a past champion'

It's safe to say that Tiger Woods disagrees with Colin Montgomerie's recent comments suggesting that the 15-time major champion should call it a career.

"Well, as a past champion, I'm exempt (at The Open) until I'm 60," Woods said Tuesday. "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."

He added, "When I get to his age (at 61), I get to still make that decision, where he doesn't."

As for when he'll make a decision on his future, Woods said, "I'll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event." When asked if his belief in his ability to win has wavered in the last two years, he said, "No."

Woods, 48, has won The Open Championship on three occasions (2000, 2005, 2006). He's about to tee off at the event for the 23rd time in his career and the first since 2022.

He also has lifetime eligibility at the Masters and PGA Championship and was recently given special exemption at signature events in honor of his illustrious career.

Woods finished 60th at the Masters this past spring and went on to miss the cut at both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open. Despite his recent showings at the majors, he remains confident in his ability to perform at Royal Troon this week.

"I've been training a lot better. ... I'm able to do some things that I haven't done all year," he said.

Woods also discussed his "difficult" decision to turn down the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy while backing surprise pick Keegan Bradley as a "great leader."

"My time has been so loaded with the TOUR and everything and what we're trying to accomplish," he said, according to Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig. "I'm on so many different subcommittees that it just takes so much time in the day, and I'm always on calls. ... I just didn't feel like I could do the job properly. I couldn't devote the time."

Woods' last victory on the PGA TOUR came at the 2019 Zozo Championship.

He suffered compound fractures in his leg and a shattered ankle after getting into a car accident in 2021, but he returned to action at the Masters in 2022.