Despite Exposing Tiger Woods’ Sour Side, Charles Barkley Finally Offers a White Flag to Golfing Legend

Charles Barkley might not be the finest golf player, but he enjoys the sport in style. The retired NBA star has been an avid golfer who has some famous buddies he hits the greens with. One of them was golf’s superstar, Tiger Woods. The 82-time PGA TOUR winner played with Barkley and Michael Jordan for a good few years before an abrupt end. Since being shunned by his former friend, Barkley has repeatedly opened up about Woods. After speaking some hard truths about the legendary golfer, Chuck recently changed his tune.

Barkley was the recent feature of Golf Digest’s segment, Off-Course. Tiger Woods was the dominant theme of his answers throughout the interview. In this same interview, the Inside the NBA analyst showed he’s still loyal to his ex-friend.

Charles Barkley wants to play with Tiger Woods again

NBA stars like Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan found the ultimate golf buddy in Tiger Woods during the ’90s. That changed with Woods’ 2009 car crash, which forced the fifteen-time major championship to withdraw from golf, the media, and his friends for a while.

READ MORE: “He Just Stopped”: Amid His Poaching Rumours in 2022, Charles Barkley Publicly Biffed Tiger Woods for Parting Ways

In 2017, both Barkley and Jordan expressed their disappointment after being frozen out by their friend. Barkley would say with a deep dejection that Woods “just stopped” all contact with them.

Barkley was a lot harsher in 2022. In Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar, Barkley compared his current golf buddy, Phil Mickelson, with Woods. He said it was “not fun” to be around Tiger.

The status of their friendship has been up in the air since 2017. However, Barkley still hangs on to the memories.

From his no-holds-barred interview, it became clear that Barkley still remembers what a magnificent golfer Woods was even after a decade of not playing together. To this day, Tiger remains the most “intimidating” player he’s gone up against.

While it’s evident, he has some bitter feelings about their one-side fallout, Barkley still wants to play with his old buddy. When asked about his dream four-ball, Barkley listed former POTUS Barack Obama, ex-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former friend Tiger Woods.

“I would still like to play with Tiger again ’cause he’s the G.O.A.T.” If that doesn’t say how much Barkley still cares for his old friend, we don’t know what does.

Tiger Woods has Barkley in his corner

Barkley understandably didn’t like how Woods shunned him without an explanation. However, the former also repeatedly chose to defend him.

The TNT regular was swept up in rumors last year about LIV Golf was trying to poach him for a broadcasting gig. Nothing came out of those talks, but he was stirring the golf world with his comments on Tiger Woods.

Barkley has repeatedly stated he’s rooting for Woods. After the golfer’s brief hiatus from the public, he hoped that he would bounce back from it soon. Even Jordan expressed his hope that Tiger would disregard all the noise and focus on his sport.

Woods has since made a comeback. He’s reportedly recovering from a surgery at the moment. Here’s hoping he also gives his old friends a call to play a few holes.

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