From The Open: Tiger Fires Back at Monty, Rory Gets a New Phone Post-Pinehurst And Bryson's Equipment Venture

Warren Little. Getty Images.

TROON — The four biggest draws currently in world golf stepped to the podium at Royal Troon on Tuesday. In order of appearance, not star power: Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. 

We're not so much interested in the press conference madlibs—game feels good, going to have to be in control of my ball, some really difficult holes out there—but instead in answers that reveal new information. There was plenty of that. Let's dive in. 

Tiger fires back at Monty

Colin Montgomerie, a 31-time winner on the European Tour and Ryder Cup legend, made some headlines last week when he suggested that Tiger Woods retire rather than become just another golfer. 

“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie said in an interview with The Times of London. “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 was then asked if we're at the point that Woods should hang up the clubs. 

"Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there. There is a time for all sportsmen to say goodbye, but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go,” he said. “Obviously, he still feels he can win. We are more realistic.”

The famously tenacious British press wasted little time digging in, asking Woods if he felt he'd earned the right to retire on his own terms. And Tiger was ready for this one. 

"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."

Subtle yet pointed, cordial yet cutting. 10/10. 

Woods, who looks noticeably leaner this week than he did at Valhalla or Pinehurst, said he's progressed physically in the month since the U.S. Open. 

"I've been training a lot better. We've been busting it pretty hard in the gym, which has been good. Body's been feeling better to be able to do such things, and it translates on being able to hit the ball better. Can't quite stay out there during a practice session as long as I'd like, but I'm able to do some things that I haven't done all year, which is nice."

Rory iced Tiger…sort of

Woods and McIlroy have grown quite close over the years. They have a few things in common: major championships, Jupiter, knowing way more about corporate governance than they ever wanted to. It's a genuine friendship, a fact not lost on McIlroy. 

"It's always nice when your hero and the guy that you had on your bedroom wall is reaching out and offering words of encouragement."

Woods waited a while to message McIlroy after the Pinehurst heartbreak. 

"I just sent him a nice text. That was it," Woods said. "I waited a week before I sent it. I wanted to let it calm down, and I didn't want it to be -- didn't want him -- I know he was being besieged by a lot of different things going on, and just let it cool down for a week. Then I sent him a nice text, and that's it…(just said) I'm your friend. I know this is a difficult moment. We've all been there as champions. We all lose."

Only issue? Rory didn't respond. Nothing personal, of course. 

"I changed my number two days after the U.S. Open, so I didn't get it until he told me about it today," he said with a laugh. "I was like, oh, thanks very much. So I blanked Tiger Woods, which is probably not a good thing."

Why'd he change?

"Honestly, from the time I left Pinehurst to the time I walked through my front door on Sunday night, I probably got about 10 or 15 text messages from media members, and I was like, it's probably time to get a new number. Create a bit of space."

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Bryson launches equipment

When you're on a heater like Bryson DeChambeau is, everyone wants to ask you questions. That inevitably results in the same questions, and different versions of the same answer. One of the common quandaries these days is what's keyed the noticeable change in his demeanor and relationship with fans. The answer: maturity, YouTube golf, equipment. 

DeChambeau's always been fascinated by all things golf swing and golf club. Before the bulk-up he was known chiefly for his single-length irons, a total anomaly in the professional game. It was at this tournament three years ago that he declared that his driver SUCKS!, which led to a hard-to-believe rebuttal from his equipment sponsor at the time. Clearly, that relationship was fracturing. 

Shortly after signing his $100 million+ LIV deal Bryson opted to become an equipment free agent. For most people that means the freedom to play a few TaylorMades, a few Callaways, etc. For Bryson, it means developing your own clubs. There was much talk at the Masters of his new 3D-printed irons, which are shaped more like a driver than the traditional iron. He's been using a driver made by the little-known Krank manufacturer. It's a club more often seen on long drive circuits than major championships. He couldn't care less. 

“It’s a great driver,” DeChambeau said earlier this year. “It’s won a bunch of World Long Drive championships, and it’s performed the best — it’s performed — how do I say this? It’s probably performed the best I’ve ever had in the past five years in professional golf for me, ever since 2018 when I was striping it early in the year.”

He's been hinting at bringing his equipment insights to the people—he loves bringing things to the people—and essentially spilled the beans in his pre-tournament presser. 

"You might be seeing something later today or tomorrow on that," the two-time U.S. Open champion said.  I'll give you more when I can. Certainly we're working on some things. Would I like to see it more in play around the world and across different amateurs, different levels? Absolutely. That's the main goal. It's not just going to be unique to me. It needs to be built for the individual. Everybody's game, everybody's swing is different. That's what makes this game so amazing. You can have somebody that looks completely awful with their golf swing just absolutely pure it. And then you have somebody that has a perfect golf swing just can't hit the face at all."

Hours later, LA Golf made it official: they're launching a customizable driver with DeChambeau that'll launch next year. 

The "big golf brands" would certainly take issue with that statement seeing as they have different models, adjustable heads and multiple shaft options. But that's beside the point. DeChambeau truly is one-of-a-kind. He's far from the first player to put his name on golf clubs. But I'd venture there's never been a major championship-winning player who's as genuinely interested in creating golf equipment as Bryson is. And it's not for the money, for he has more than he could ever need. He just…he feels really, really passionately about things. Like YouTube and golf clubs. 

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