Bryson DeChambeau has backed Tiger Woods to win another tournament, as he hailed the 48-year-old as ‘probably the most influential figure in the game of golf.’
Woods has struggled of late, missing the cut at the US Open, PGA Championship and last week’s British Open, but DeChambeau thinks he can get back to his best.
‘He’s probably the most influential figure in the game of golf. He is the most influential figure in the game of golf right now, and I think he deserves to play in the majors,’ DeChambeau said from LIV Golf UK.
‘He’s done more than enough for this great game, and he continues to give back by playing in these tournaments and trying to win. He wants to win. He’s a competitor. I think that’s admirable, for him to be able to do that.
‘I think he can do it still,’ he continued. ‘He’s going to have a tough road to beat us youngsters, but he’s got that grit and fire in him that he’s not going to stop until he gets it done. I wouldn’t put it past him.’
Tiger Woods missed the cut at The Open as he finished with a +14 over the first two days
But Bryson DeChambeau believes the 15-time major winner can get back to his best
DeChambeau’s encouragement comes after retired player and announcer Colin Montgomerie questioned Woods’ presence at Royal Troon, suggesting to The Times that he should retire.
‘He still feels he can win,’ said Montgomerie. ‘We are more realistic.’
Woods was defiant in response, saying that, ‘As a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60.’
However, he ultimately failed to prove he belonged at the 2024 Open Championship, after posting a +14 over the first two days of the event.
DeChambeau, meanwhile, also missed the cut as he scored a +9.
Woods’ dismal Friday included a double bogey on the second hole as well as bogeys on the fifth, ninth, 12th, 14th and 17th. He finished Friday with a 77 (+6) after his 78 (+8) on Thursday. Still, Woods still had a packed gallery and received large ovations throughout the first two rounds.
Woods shoots from the rough on the second day of The Open Championship in Scotland
Despite his struggles, Woods remained optimistic about his game and his health.
‘I’d like to have played more, but I just wanted to make sure that I was able to play the major championships this year,’ Woods said. ‘I got a lot of time off to get better, to be better physically, which has been the case all year.
‘I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it, but physically I’ve gotten better, which is great. I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again.’
The 48-year-old now intends to take a months-long break from golf, telling reporters on Friday at Royal Troon that he will return at the Hero World Challenge in December.
Since nearly losing his right leg in a 2021 car crash, Woods has played sparingly, focusing on the majors while resting his body during less prestigious tournaments.
Knee surgeries, a fused ankle, and a microdiscectomy are just some of the medical procedures that have kept Woods upright as he enters his 50s.
