Tiger Woods has to be honest with Tom Watson if he doesn’t find his form prior to the Ryder Cup but Watson should still spend a wildcard pick on him, believes former European captain Colin Montgomerie.
Monty is about to play in a major championship for the first time in several years at the PGA at Valhalla this week but is a very interested observer of whether Woods will make Tom Watson’s team, already a star name short after Dustin Johnson’s withdrawal last week.
The US qualifying period is coming to an end after the PGA and while US captain Watson will take three weeks to decide on his three wildcards, Woods is set to play none of those as he is unlikely now to qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs.
“Tiger has got to be honest, he’s got to be very, very honest,” said Monty, speaking before leaving for the US.
“If Tiger says to Tom Watson, I’m sorry, I don’t really feel I have come back well enough, I thought I’d be better, so please leave me out this time and I’ll be back in 2016, that’s an honest statement, and we’d say good on you Tiger.
“But if he does say I can help you, well then he’s got added pressure on him hasn’t he?
“Having to stand on that first tee at Gleneagles and drill one down the middle, you know?
“Let’s hope he does play, it will be fantastic to see Tiger playing around Gleneagles and really giving it 110% because he needed a pick to play.
“But can you honestly see three guys getting picked ahead of him? I can probably see one, if he’s not playing so good, maybe two at a push.”