Rickie Fowler sends retirement a brutal message to Tiger Woods after PGA Tour legend told to call it quits

 

As the golfing world buzzes with anticipation for this week’s Open Championship, Rickie Fowler has a message for his fellow golfer, Tiger Woods: he believes the legendary 15-time major champion still has much to offer in professional golf. Despite recent doubts about Woods’ future, Fowler remains confident that the iconic player can continue to make his mark.

 

Tiger Woods, with an astounding 82 PGA Tour wins, has faced scrutiny about his future ahead of the Open Championship at Royal Troon. Colin Montgomerie, another well-known figure in the golf world, suggested that it might be time for Woods to consider retiring. Montgomerie expressed his concerns in an interview with The Times, highlighting Woods’ recent struggles and questioning whether he still enjoys the game.

 

Montgomerie stated, “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. 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.” He went on to suggest that Woods may have already passed the point where retirement is the best option, acknowledging the difficulty in telling a sports legend that it’s time to step down.

 

However, Rickie Fowler offers a contrasting perspective. On the eve of The Open, Fowler told Mirror Sport, “He still has plenty of good golf in him. The game is better when we have him around.” Fowler, a fellow American and former Ryder Cup teammate of Woods, believes that Woods’ presence is invaluable to the sport.

 

The allure of Woods is undeniable. As a three-time Open champion, he continues to attract massive crowds at Royal Troon. Fowler, like the fans, cherishes seeing Woods compete. “I love being able to have Tiger [here],” Fowler remarked. “He has been trying to continue to make sure he is ready to go, playing the majors and then hopefully a few other events on top of that… I would love to see him continue to stay healthy so he can play a select group of events throughout the year.”

 

In response to Montgomerie’s comments, Woods himself addressed the issue during his pre-championship media duties. He reminded Montgomerie that as a past champion, he is exempt to play in The Open until he is 60 – a privilege Montgomerie does not share. “Well, as a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin is not,” Woods pointed out. “He is not a past champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t get the opportunity to make that decision. I do. So when I get to his age, I get to still make that decision, where he doesn’t.”

 

As Woods prepares to start his week at Royal Troon, he will be teeing off alongside Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in Thursday’s opening round at 2:37 p.m. BST. Despite the debates and discussions about his future, Tiger Woods remains a central figure in golf, with many, including Rickie Fowler, eagerly supporting his journey forward.