Tiger Woods bodies European golf legend over call to retire before The Open

Tiger Woods took a dim view of Colin Montgomerie's recent comments about the 15-time major champion ahead of The Open. 

Woods, 48, met with reporters on a drizzly Tuesday morning at Royal Troon. 

He has already played a practice round at the iconic links and, unsurprisingly, believes he can contend and even win the claret jug for the fourth time in his illustrious career.

Last week, though, Woods was told to face reality by the former European Ryder Cup skipper. 

The 61-year-old knew exactly what it was like to play in the same field as Woods in his pomp. 

But in an interview with The Times of London, the Scot simply couldn't fathom why he would continue. 

"I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him," he said. 

He added: "There is none of that now. At Pinehurst [for the U.S. Open], 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."

Woods was asked by one reporter if what Monty said was 'hurtful'. 

Hasn't Woods earned the right to decide when to officially call it quits?

"Well, as a past champion, I'm exempt until I'm 60," he said. "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: "So when I get to his age, I get to still make that decision, where he doesn't"

Watch the exchange here:

"I waited a week before I sent it"

Woods' friendship with Rory McIlroy is well-documented.

There were reports their relationship became strained after the hall of famer voted against McIlroy returning to the PGA Tour's policy board to advance talks with LIV Golf's backers. 

But Woods said he sent the Northern Irishman a message after his U.S. Open collapse at Pinehurst No.2 last month. 

"I waited a week before I sent it," Woods said.  

"I wanted to let it calm down, and I didn't want it to be -- didn't want him -- I know he was being besieged by a lot of different things going on, and just let it cool down for a week. 

"Then I sent him a nice text, and that's it.

"I think he played last week, and now he's playing this week."

So what did he say?

Woods said: "Just basically, as you know, 'I'm your friend. I know this is a difficult moment. We've all been there as champions. We all lose'. 

"Unfortunately, it just happened, and the raw emotion of it, it's still there, and it's going to be there for, I'm sure, some time. 

"The faster he's able to get back on a horse and get back into contention, like he did last week, the better it is for him."

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