“He doesn’t get to make that decision — I do.” Tiger Woods shut down Colin Montgomerie with six words at Royal Troon in 2024. Now Montgomerie is singing a very different tune.

The eight-time European Order of Merit winner has broken his silence on Woods’ potential Champions Tour arrival. His verdict? Bring it on.

“I think it would be super for the PGA Tour Champions if Tiger is able to play,” Montgomerie said via @JohnstonGarrett. “Great for sponsors, TV, etc. And we will all begin our rounds looking for his name on the board. Where is he? Do we have a chance? Hopefully we do, but maybe not.”

The tone shift is striking. Sixteen months ago, Montgomerie suggested Woods should retire. Woods reminded everyone that Montgomerie never won a major — and therefore doesn’t get a say.

Now Montgomerie’s checking leaderboards. Funny how time works.

The public spat erupted in July 2024. Montgomerie gave an interview to The Times of London just before The Open Championship. He didn’t hold back.

Montgomerie told The Times: “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. There is none of that now.”

He went further. Montgomerie questioned why Woods kept playing. He suggested the 15-time major champion should have retired after the emotional 2022 Open at St Andrews. Woods responded at his pre-tournament press conference. He invoked his three Claret Jugs. He pointed out his lifetime exemption. Then he delivered the knockout punch.

“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,” Tiger Woods responded to the reporters.

The room erupted in laughter. Woods grinned. Montgomerie scrambled to walk back his social media comments. He claimed his words were “taken out of context.” Woods shot 79-77 and missed the cut at Royal Troon. Yet the exchange overshadowed everything else that week.

Top Stories

Golf Loses Another Classic as a 53-Year-Old Course Prepares to Vanish

After Brooks Koepka, Another Key Figure Cuts Ties With LIV Golf

PGA Tour Makes Feelings Clear as $14 Billion Sponsor Cuts All Ties After 17 Years

Tiger Woods’s GF Vanessa Trump Wasn’t On Board With Daughter Kai’s New Family Addition

PGA Tour’s Iconic Stop Is Under Threat Amid a Quiet Billionaire Standoff

Colin Montgomerie shifts from critic to cheerleader

Fast forward to November 2025. Montgomerie’s new comments arrived via a post from fan account @TWlegion, sourcing golf journalist Garrett Johnston. The accompanying image showed both men smiling together at a golf event. The visual contrast couldn’t be sharper. And Montgomerie wasn’t just being polite. He was practically campaigning for Tiger’s arrival.

His enthusiasm makes business sense. The Champions Tour desperately needs star power. Current telecasts average between 77,000 and 166,000 viewers per event. Compare that to CBS’s PGA Tour coverage, which averaged 2.97 million viewers in 2025. Tiger Woods changes those numbers overnight. His 2018 Tour Championship appearance surged viewership to 7.8 million — a 212% increase over the previous year. His TGL debut in 2025 drew over 1 million viewers on ESPN. Montgomerie knows what Tiger brings. Sponsors know it too.

PGA Tour Champions prepares for Tiger Woods’ arrival

PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady confirmed the tour has been preparing for Woods’ potential debut. Security upgrades are planned. Hospitality infrastructure is being enhanced. The 2026 schedule features 28 events with $69 million in total prize money.

Woods turns 50 on December 30, 2025. That birthday unlocks his eligibility. Meanwhile, evidence mounts that he’s already preparing. He underwent his seventh back surgery on October 10, 2025. Just 32 days later, he appeared at a Bridgestone Golf content shoot in Florida. He looked healthy. He announced plans to use the new Bridgestone VS Proto ball in 2026.

Then there’s the Insperity connection. Woods signed a multi-year deal with the company in August 2025. Insperity has sponsored the Champions Tour’s Insperity Invitational since 2004. Every piece of apparel at the Bridgestone shoot prominently featured its logo.

The breadcrumbs are forming a trail.

Montgomerie holds the unfortunate distinction of five major runner-up finishes without a single win. One of those came at St Andrews in 2005. He finished five shots behind the winner. That winner? Tiger Woods.

Now the man who once told Tiger to quit is eagerly awaiting his arrival. Whether that’s genuine respect, competitive curiosity, or business pragmatism remains unclear. But one thing is certain. When Tiger Woods joins the Champions Tour, Colin Montgomerie will be watching the leaderboard. Just like everyone else.