Gallacher - No more Tiger

Bernard Gallacher believes Tiger Woods may never return to golf following the media furore over his extra-marital affairs.

The world number one announced he was to take an indefinite break from the game after lurid stories regarding his private life broke.

He was expected to announce when he would return to action during his public statement at PGA Tour headquarters last month, but again refused to confirm when or even if he would come back, stating: "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year."

While it is still widely expected that Woods will return at some point, former European Ryder Cup captain Gallacher insists he wouldn't be totally shocked if the American walked away from the game altogether.

"I think there's an outside chance he might not come back, that we've seen the last of Tiger," he told Sky Sports News.

The Scot also feels that, should Woods return to the game, there are plenty of aspects of his behaviour which he can improve on.

"Apart from the extra-marital behaviour, his conduct on the golf course certainly wasn't like Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer or Gary Player or even Tom Watson," he continued.

"I don't really go in for a lot of this throwing clubs, swearing, spitting, not being available to sign autographs and going around with this corridor of security guards all the time.

"I really find that upsetting on the golf course."

Gallacher is also of the opinion that Woods status as number one in the world would have been under challenge this year whether his prolonged absence had occurred or not, insisting the new generation of golfers at the top of the game would have threatened his domination regardless.

"I actually think if Tiger had still been playing, things had carried on, I think these young players around today would have given Tiger a real run for it anyway," he added.

"I think we were starting to see Tiger being run closer - he didn't win a major last year anyway."