Bryson DeChambeau has shut down claims that Tiger Woods should retire from professional golf, claiming the 15-time major champion still has what it takes to compete at the top level.
Woods' recent career has been hampered by several fitness issues, which have seen him turn to a part-time playing schedule on the PGA Tour. This campaign the Tour's joint-most successful player of all time has played just five times, his last coming at The Open Championship last week.
It proved to be another tough test for the 48-year-old, who missed the cut at a major championship for the third time in four starts this season, as the tricky conditions posed by Royal Troon got the better of him.
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In the build-up to the event, one of Woods' former rivals Colin Montgomerie suggested that it could well be time for the the 48-year-old to call it quits at the top level, but DeChambeau thinks differently. Speaking at LIV Golf UK this week, the Crushers captain said: "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. 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."
Woods had previously outlined that he would decide to hang up his clubs when he feels he can no longer compete for the top prizes in golf. And whilst that might be a tough test against the current crop of modern stars, DeChambeau believes he still has what it takes to win.
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"I think he can do it still," the LIV Golf star said of Woods' chances of winning a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour title. He's going to have a tough road to beat us youngsters, but he's got that grit and fire in him that he is not going to stop until he gets it done. I wouldn't put it past him."
Heading into the LIV event in the UK this week, DeChambeau broke the internet after uploading a YouTube video playing golf alongside former President Donald Trump. In less than two days, the LIV star has accumulated over six million views on the clip in question and has passed the one million subscriber count.
Outlining how the Trump link-up came about, DeChambeau claimed: "First off, it's an honor to play with anybody of that type of influence, no matter who it is on any political side... We were able to call out and ask him to play, and he said yeah, absolutely. We asked the other side, as well, and anyone that wants to play. They're more than willing to do something for charity. Wanted to make it about charity and the wounded warriors foundation."
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