Former European Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie doesn't understand, frankly, why 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods even bothered to show up at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland this week to compete in the 152nd Open Championship.

Montgomerie, a resident of Royal Troon, told the Times of London over the weekend that Tiger's struggles at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in June reaffirmed his stance that the PGA Tour legend should call it a career.

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

Tiger has made 10 total starts since his 2021 car wreck, including four this year. (He underwent season-ending ankle surgery in April 2023.) The 48-year-old withdrew in the second round of the Genesis Invitational in February, made the cut at the Masters before finishing 60th, then missed the cut at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

After falling two strokes shy of the weekend at Pinehurst No. 2, a dejected Tiger all-but-confirmed that his 23rd Open Championship appearance would mark his final official event of 2024 — and maybe his last major overseas.

“I've only got one more tournament this season, so I'm not going to — I don't think even if I win the British Open I don't think I'll be in the [FedEx Cup] Playoffs,” Tiger said. “Just one more event and then I'll come back whenever I come back.”

Tiger has won three British Opens; twice at his favorite venue, the Old Course at St. Andrews (2002 and 2005), and once at Royal Liverpool (2006). In two prior starts at Royal Troon, Woods has a T24 (1997) and T9 (2004). He missed Troon's 2016 event due to a back injury.

Tiger played a full 18-hole practice round at Royal Troon on Sunday — his first time at the venue in two decades.

“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there,” Montgomerie added on Tiger's post-contender reality. “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.”

These days, the 61-year-old Montgomerie is a full-time PGA Tour Champions player. He has three runner-ups in majors, including to Tiger at St. Andrews in 2005. Boasting a 20-9-7 record, Montgomerie is among the most prolific Ryder Cup competitors ever.

The Scot called on Tiger to call it quits after his missed cut at the Old Course in 2022.

“That was the time,” Montgomerie told the Times. “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.”

The 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon begins Thursday. Tee times have yet to be announced.