“I have kept it quite quiet but I’m not well so we just keep going and we will get through to Sunday.”
When Colin Montgomerie talks, the golfing world listens. And even on those occasions when he didn’t talk, those glowering, seething silences would still speak volumes.
This week, the host of this week’s Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International Golf Links on the outskirts of Aberdeen made an eyebrow-raising and concerning admission.
After a 1-under 71 in the first round, Monty revealed that this over-50s showpiece may be his last event of 2024 due to ongoing health issues.
“I haven’t been well the last six months, I have been very poorly,” said the 61-year-old. “I have been taking a lot of time off. I have never done that in my life.
“I might take the rest of the year off. I need to, I’m not well. “Asked to elaborate, Montgomerie would only say that his problems were “internal.”
With the kind of enduring properties you’d get with a cast iron rivet, Monty continues to soldier on. On the face of it, a 71 over this exacting, unforgiving links wasn’t bad at all. Try telling Montgomerie that.
“Colin Montgomerie of old would have shot 66,” he said with the kind of yearning sigh that could’ve been accompanied by a wistful Perry Como song.
“Colin Montgomerie at 61 shoots 71. It is as simple as that. I maximize every score right now. That is what I do every round. It’s frustrating. You can’t score 67 when you have played 67-ish.”
He followed with a 73 in the second round of play to still sit inside the top 15.
Want to hit bunker shots like a pro? 🏌️♂️⛳ Colin Montgomerie walks us through how he tackles these pot bunkers on the links 💪🏖️
If the tools of his long-standing trade do get shoved away at the end of this week, Montgomerie was asked about alternative pastimes. “How’s your gardening?” chirped one of the media men.
“It’s about to become an awful lot better,” chuckled Monty as he conjured up a delightful image of him edging the grass and gently tending his hardy Geraniums.
“There’s lots of grass to do, I can’t wait. I’ll be like Bob MacIntyre’s father. But me putting the clubs away in August? It’s unheard of.”
TROON, Scotland — Tiger Woods hasn’t been able to muster anything resembling his former brilliance this season, but he still has a stare that strikes fear in golfers.
On Tuesday at the 2024 British Open, he was asked whether it was time to consider retirement. Colin Montgomerie, the 61-year-old fellow member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, broached the ‘R-word’ in an interview last week, and suggested it was time for Woods to hang it up.
“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie told the Times of London. “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, 48, has played just nine competitive rounds this season on the PGA Tour, withdrawing from the Genesis Invitational in February during the second round, finishing dead last of those players to make the cut at the Masters and missing the cut at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open. But Woods insisted better days may be ahead.
“I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event,” he said.
Asked if his belief that he can still do so has wavered, Woods said simply, “No.”
And he stared stone-faced at the questioner. No more words were needed.
This has become standard practice at Tiger press conferences for the last several years as he has mounted various comebacks from various injuries, the most serious of which were the result of a single-car crash in February 2021.
The very next questioner got straight to the point and asked Woods, a three-time British Open champion, about what Montgomerie, who grew up a stone’s throw from Royal Troon but never won the Claret Jug, had said and he didn’t hold back. “Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. 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 questioner asked, “You feel like you’ve earned that? You deserve that?”
Tiger Woods of the United States putts on the 18th green prior to The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Woods ignored the question and simply continued piling on Montgomerie. “So when I get to his age, I get to still make that decision, where he doesn’t.”
Woods smirked in delight.
That round goes to Woods, who barbecued Monty. But can Woods salvage what appears to be another lost year in his quest to win a 16th major and 83rd career Tour title? Woods said he’s been able to train a lot of better and insinuated that could make a difference in his performance.
“We’ve been busting it pretty hard in the gym, which has been good. Body’s been feeling better to be able to do such things, and it translates on being able to hit the ball better,” he said. “Can’t quite stay out there during a practice session as long as I’d like, but I’m able to do some things that I haven’t done all year, which is nice.”
One observer who jumped to Woods’s defense was Hank Haney, one of Tiger’s former coaches. “A lot of people thought Augusta was Tiger’s best chance to ever win again, it’s wasn’t, it was always the Open Championship for multiple reasons,” wrote Haney on X, responding to a social media post on Woods’s swing. “He can hit shots like this, slower greens mean fewer 3 putts and no one has more knowledge about playing links golf. Based on what he’s done so far this year it’s kind of looking like now or never. His swing looks really good in practice.”
Woods also noted he has made or is considering making the following changes to his bag for the test at Troon.
“I’m monkeying around with the bounce on my 60. I got a couple 60s I’m kind of experimenting right now, one with a little bit less bounce for the chipping areas,” he said. “I bent my 3-iron yesterday one degree stronger just to be able to hit it off the deck and get that thing down and flighted and running. And I added lead tape to my putter just because the greens are so slow.”
Woods is returning to Troon for the first time in 20 years. He finished T-24 here in 1997 and T-9 in 2004, but was sidelined with injury in 2016. He hasn’t been called Champion Golfer of the Year since 2006, but said he’s always enjoyed the challenge of Troon.
“It’s one of those courses where you’re going to get it on one of the nines,” he said. “It’s either going out it’s going to be downwind, or coming home it’s going to be into the wind or vice versa. Half of the holes are going to be playing really difficult, and the other ones are definitely gettable.”
“Obviously, he still feels he can win. We are more realistic.”
Tiger Woods is one of the greatest competitors in the history of sport. Yet, Father Time is undefeated.
Next week, Woods is set to tee it up in the 152nd British Open at Royal Troon in Scotland. It will mark his fifth time teeing it up this year, though he has played the weekend only once at the Masters. He missed the cut in the other two majors and withdrew from his event, the Genesis Invitational, in February.
Woods has spoke about being near the end of his career, even though he and fans don’t like discussing when that time may come. But for 61-year-old Colin Montgomerie, he thinks Woods is past due for turning the page.
In a recent interview with the Times of London, Montgomerie said Woods was a shell of the player who beat Monty at the 2005 Open Championship.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie said. “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.
Since his accident in February 2021, Woods has played in only nine PGA Tour events and completed 72 holes just three times. He also has three WDs.
Earlier this year, Woods said he would like to play an event every month, though he’s not likely to get anywhere close to that.
It’s another reason Montgomerie says Woods needs to walk away.
“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie said. “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.”
Monty went on to say if Woods continues to play, he could tarnish his legacy.
“These guys only know Tiger Woods missing the cut , and he’s better than that… the best we’ve ever seen.”
Colin Montgomerie has played in The Open 22 times, but his intimate relationship with the storied tournament started long before he ever fought for the Claret Jug.
In 1973, 10-year-old Montgomerie walked to Royal Troon from his family’s property to watch Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and eventual champion Tom Weiskopf in the rain, a day he described as his “first Open experience.”
“I was 10 years old. Tom Weiskopf won The Open in 1973. Jack Nicklaus was here and Palmer and Player and all the guys. Living as we did just back there, walked over and, yeah, got wet with everyone else. That was my first Open experience,” Montgomerie said in an interview with The Open.
Colin Montgomerie’s magical relationship with The Open began long before his first competitive appearance. Now he revisits Royal Troon to rekindle some of those fond memories.@lochlomondmalts || #TheSpiritofTheOpen || #ExploreTheSpirit
At Golfweek, we continue to send live bodies on the road at events throughout the year.
Between COVID, advances in technology and myriad other factors, golf beat reporting just isn’t what it once was. Media centers have fewer and fewer members, Zoom calls and transcripts make it easier to keep tabs on players and tournaments from afar and player availability has become increasingly more difficult to secure as many pros (and some college players) are being pulled in numerous directions by sponsors and other responsibilities.
At Golfweek, we continue to send live bodies on the road at events throughout the year — on the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV, USGA championships, amateur and college events, as well as silly-season tournaments.
Through the hard work of reporters like Adam Schupak, Beth Ann Nichols, Adam Woodard and Cameron Jourdan, we secured a number of great Q&As in 2023 away from the media scrums and online pressers, getting a deeper look at some of the most fascinating personalities that make this game great.
Here’s a look at some of our favorites, in no particular order:
Brush up on your Ryder Cup history with this list of all-time points leaders for Europe and the U.S.
Over its nearly 100-year history the Ryder Cup has featured some impressive performances from the world’s best players, especially since the competition switched to include all of Europe back in 1979.
From Nick Faldo and Arnold Palmer to Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods, a handful of players have stood out with their play and find themselves on the all-time points list in the biennial bash.
Of the top 10, six are European players, but when it comes to the top 20 — which includes a handful of active players — the split is right down the middle at 10 a piece.
As the teams of 12 from both the United States and Europe prepare to square off in the next round of matches at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy this week, take a scroll through the all-time points winners in Ryder Cup history from both squads.
Prior to his appearance at the Senior British Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales, Colin Montgomerie discussed his love for the area and his eagerness to play the course.
“Every time I cross that Severn Bridge, the Prince of Wales Bridge, you come to Celtic Manor Resort on the M4, it brings back great memories of our time in Wales and the time I spent in Wales in 2009 and 2010,” he said. “So every time I come back, I relish it, and especially coming to this golf course, as well. This is a damn good golf course, this, damn good golf course. A real test of character and it has a lot of elevation to it.
“But a good test, a good overall test, and we are all looking forward to the challenge of it.”
Suffice it to say Montgomerie did not have the same warm glow as he left the golf course after his final round on Sunday.
Despite sitting at even par through the first two rounds of the tournament, Montgomerie was bludgeoned by wet, windy weather at the course on the weekend. The result was an uncomely 76 on Saturday and then a ghastly 88 on Sunday.
During his final round, the nine-time European Senior Tour winner made the turn at 46, courtesy of four bogeys, two doubles and a triple-bogey seven on the ninth hole.
He carded his lone birdie of the day on the 10th hole, but followed by going 7 over on his final six holes of the day, finishing the back at 42.
The round stirred images of the 2008 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills when he shot 14-over 84, then snapped at a reporter who chuckled during one of his answers.
“Make that your last laugh,” the Scotsman said.
Again, this came after Montgomerie showed renewed spirit heading into the event, one in which he said he was ambitious as ever.
Colin Montgomerie says he is “ambitious as ever” at the age of 60 ahead of making his tenth appearance at The Senior Open as he lauded the challenge of host venue Royal Porthcawl ⛳#SeniorOpen
Of course, the conditions weren’t just difficult on the 60-year-old, who previously finished second in this event in 2014 and placed ninth last year as Darren Clarke won at Gleneagles.
In fact, Montgomerie’s 88 didn’t even qualify as the highest score of the day — that honor was reserved for Patrik Sjoland, who finished the day with an 89. All told, 26 players came in with scores of 80 or higher on Sunday. That led some who weren’t playing to enjoy the misery from afar, like Justin Thomas who posted that he couldn’t stop watching.
Not gonna lie, I can’t stop watching the #SeniorOpen… A PROPER links golf weather day. It is absolute carnage for those guys and (I’m sorry) it is fun to watch haha
Colin Montgomerie turns 60 later this year. “Later this year? God, it’s next month. Stop it!” he said with a chuckle.
Colin Montgomerie turns 60 later this year.
“Later this year? God, it’s next month. Stop it!” he said with a chuckle.
Indeed, June 23 is right around the corner but having just come off a third-place tie at the PGA Tour Champions Insperity Invitational in Houston when we talked, Montgomerie isn’t ready to be put out to pasture just yet.
Remarkably, this already is the 10th year on the senior circuit for Monty, who joined the World Golf Hall of Fame a decade ago too, and after years of being Europe’s most devoted star to the home circuit has developed quite the crush on life in America.
Monty is many things —a Ryder Cup hero, Scotland’s finest player since Sandy Lyle, a European Tour stalwart who won eight Order of Merit titles but also never won a major, never won on the PGA Tour, and could throw a tantrum with the best of them.
But this conversation happened fortunately enough on a Wednesday and Montgomerie always was known as “Wonderful on Wednesday” by the media before the birdie and bogey tally swayed his mood one way or the other. In this Q&A with the winner of 31 DP World Tour events, the most of any British player, Monty discusses why he’s in favor of rolling back the golf ball, why Ryder Cup heroes who have departed for LIV Golf shouldn’t be allowed to be captain in the future and you’ll chuckle when you hear which Hall of Fame football coach he gets confused for all the time. The resemblance is striking.
Did Tiger Woods miss an epic chance to say goodbye to competitive golf?
Did Tiger Woods miss an epic chance to say goodbye to competitive golf?
Colin Montgomerie seems to think so.
After making the cut in the first two majors of 2022, Woods took the U.S. Open off to make sure he was ready for St. Andrews and the 150th playing of the Open Championship.
Woods won two of his 15 majors at the Old Course and provided golf fans with one of the major subplots in the final major of the year.
Montgomerie certainly wasn’t alone in his thoughts that perhaps there’d be no better place for Woods to say farewell. Speaking on the Bunkered podcast, Montgomerie said:
“That was the time. 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.”
Montgomerie also said he doesn’t see Woods winning any more tournaments.
“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.”
Woods did return to semi-competition at The Match, playing alongside Rory McIlroy. He’ll team up with his son Charlie at the 2022 PNC Championship.
“The goal is to play just the major championships and maybe one or two more. That’s it,” he said. “Physically, that’s all I can do. I told you that, guys, you know, the beginning of this year, too. I mean, I don’t have much left in this leg, so gear up for the biggest ones and hopefully, you know, lightning catches in a bottle and I’m up there in contention with a chance to win and hopefully I remember how to do that.”
The only problem the Saturday magic created was a need for more candy.
Colin Montgomerie knows a thing or two about winning golf tournaments in inclement Scottish weather.
He also knows when it’s time to take advice from others who also know plenty about winning big golf tournaments.
On Saturday, as wet weather made for a miserable day at the Gleneagles Hotel’s Kings Course in Auchterader, Montgomerie and his caddie tried to lighten the mood by chatting with Padraig Harrington about, of all things, candy.
“We were talking to Pádraig Harrington about jelly babies, actually, and we decided to eat jelly babies on the back nine, the best food for everything, apparently,” Montgomerie said. “I thought, oh, he’s won a few majors so we thought we would do the jelly baby trick today.”
The move paid dividends. Montgomerie finished with birdies on his final three holes of the day and while others struggled to deal with the wet conditions, his 68 pulled him within striking distance of the leaders heading into the final day. He’s at 6 under for the tournament, three shots behind leader Paul Broadhurst and two behind Jerry Kelly, Steven Alker and Darren Clarke.
The only problem the Saturday magic created was a need for more candy.
“Wow, the jelly babies worked. So we’re into Auchterarder and come into Auchterarder to buy a load of jelly babies to keep us going for tomorrow because the weather is going to be iffy tomorrow. So we’ll see how we go,” he said. “I said at the start of the week, I wanted to contend and not just compete. And now, we’re beginning to think we’re contending, you know. So we’ll see how we go.”
Montgomerie —who confirmed to reporters that he had a brief stay in a local hospital on Thursday, but didn’t elaborate on the reason — insisted he didn’t do much differently on the final few holes, aside from getting his putter rolling. And he said last week’s championship performance by Cameron Smith on the greens at St. Andrews should shed light on the strategy for success this week.
“The putter … that’s all it is, isn’t it? Hit it to 20-foot at 16th and holed it, 15-foot at 17th and holed it, and a good putt there at the last. It broke a mile. It broke a good 8-footer at the last,” he said. “But you know, you miss these, you shoot 71. You hole them, and you shoot 68. How often do we say this? How often do we say we’re going to hit the ball — everyone out here can hit the ball. Everyone can stand on the range and hit the ball. But it’s all about what happens on the greens.
“And look who won last week, the best putter in the world probably right now, Cam Smith. And who won The Open? THE best putter. That’s what it’s about. If I can hole putts tomorrow, if I can get the damn thing in the hole tomorrow, there’s a chance. You never know.”
