Sad news: media Confirmed Tiger Woods in tears (!) as he is leaving golf for life

So said Colin Montgomerie, who was adamant that the ageing, injury-ravaged Woods should have bowed out at his favourite golf course in the world, St Andrews, at the 150th Open.

“That was the time,” Montgomerie told The bunkered Podcast after the 15-time major champion missed the cut at the Old Course in 2022.

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Two years on and precious little has changed.

Woods, now 48, is still battling against the dying light of his unparalleled career and will make his 23rd Open appearance at Royal Troon next week.

The three-time Claret Jug winner has only played in seven tournaments since that emotional stroll down the Swilcan Bridge. His last six competitive rounds – all at this year’s majors – make for grim reading: 82-77-72-77-74-73.

A T60 finish at this year’s Masters was hardly reason for optimism either, as he continues to be struggle with the injuries he sustained in his life-threatening February 2021 car crash.

“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie 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?’

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Woods has always insisted that he will only keep on playing until he thinks he can win – but Montgomerie is worried that the game’s most transformative figure has long reached the dreaded stage of ceremonial golfer.Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” the Ryder Cup legend added. “There is a time for all sportsmen to say goodbye but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go. Obvious