Butch Harmon thinks Tiger needs a break from the game

TIGER Woods' former coach Butch Harmon insists the world No.1 is playing the worst golf of his career.

And Harmon reckons Woods must take a break from the game to sort out his personal life if he is to have any chance of returning to top form.

Woods, who has won 14 Majors in a glittering career, failed to break par in four rounds at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend.

And things went from bad to worse for Woods as he hit two fans in his painful final round of 77.

The chaos in his off-course life is now being replayed in public and Woods revealed he will not play at the Ryder Cup in October in his current form after slipping down to 10th in the US rankings.

To earn automatic qualification for the US side, Woods would probably need to finish in the top eight at this weekend's US PGA at brutal Whistling Straits - where he finished tied 24th in 2004.

Captain Corey Pavin then has until September 7 before announcing his four wildcard picks.

But Harmon, who coached Woods between 1997 and 2002, claimed he looks lost and should take a break.

He said: "Right now Tiger is playing the worst I've ever seen him play.

"He has got to get his head right and get his life in order before he can even think about playing golf."

Woods has been minus a coach since Hank Haney sacked him in May. After eight events without a win, he is really struggling with his form and is ranked 163rd in driving accuracy, 166th in greens in regulation and 129th in putts per round.

Hunter Mahan finished 30 shots ahead of Woods at the weekend to win the Bridgestone Invitational and clinch his place in the US team for Celtic Manor in the process.

Mahan has sympathy for Woods. He said: "Tiger is going through a lot right now.

"I don't think you realise how much outside of golf stuff affects you."

Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie confirmed that his entire management team will play in this month's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Vice-captains Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley will all tee up from August 26-29.

The event is the final chance for players to impress before Monty picks his three Ryder Cup wild cards.

But Monty was left stunned last night after Sergio Garcia revealed he will take a two-month break from competitive golf after the US PGA Championship.

Garcia's decision means he will have to finish in the top three at Whistling Straits this week to have any chance of qualifying for the European team via the points list.

The 30-year-old Spaniard, who has played every Ryder Cup since 1999 said: "I've spoken to Colin and he knows what I'm planning to do."