Tiger Woods delivered a scornful riposte to Colin Montgomerie's claim he should retire when telling him only champions get to make momentous decisions.

The greatest golfer to play the game took centre stage at Royal Troon on Tuesday and, in keeping with how the peak of his career unfolded, didn't miss the chance when it was presented to him.

With a lingering stare and a deadpan delivery, Woods wasn't going to allow Montgomerie off the hook.

Montgomerie, correctly, said in an interview in The Times last Saturday that Woods's best days are behind him but said he had watched the 15-time Major champion scramble around the US Open course at Pinehurst last month and wondered: 'what the hell is he doing?'

'He still feels he can win,' said Montgomerie. 'We are more realistic.'

When this was put to him, however, the response had the zing of three iron smashed down the fairway. Woods, who beat Montgomerie by five shots at St Andrews in 2005 to win the second of his three Open titles, was brutal in his assessment.

'Well, as a past champion, I'm exempt until I'm 60,' said Woods, pausing for effect. '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. So when I get to his age (61), I get to still make that decision, where he doesn't.'

Woods never used to miss the cut at a Major but he failed to make the weekend rounds in either of the PGA and the US Open, while he finished 60th – on +16 – at The Masters in April. The wear and tear on his body continues to have an impact.

But the last thing a sporting titan loses is their will to win and Woods fixed his glare on those who asked him why we could expect anything different in the coming days on a course that he conceded will 'eat you up' if conditions turn.

'I'll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event,' he said, brusquely.

When asked whether his belief has wavered, he was even more economical with his words. 'No,' came the blunt reply.

So why will this be different? There was talk on the course over the weekend that Woods has looked sharp – not sharp enough to mount a challenge for the Claret Jug – and he explained the difference in his preparations to the season's previous Majors.

'I've been training a lot better,' said Woods. 'We've been busting it pretty hard in the gym, which has been good. My body's been feeling better to be able to do such things and it translates on being able to hit the ball better.

'I 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. I work hard at it, and I've done it my entire life. I've worked hard to put myself there. You look at the highlights, I've missed plenty of putts.

'I've missed plenty of shots. Just like (Michael) Jordan, when they said how many shots have you taken? You see all the game-winning shots, but also he's missed a ton of game-winning shots too. The thing is you still take the game-winning shot – and I still want the last putt.'