Tony Romo is trying to mount another comeback. He digs his cleats in, takes aim and fires well over his intended target. But instead of thousands of fans groaning, just a handful of spectators shrug their indifference. 

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Romo is at Hackberry Creek Country Club near Texas Stadium, trying to qualify for the 2007 U.S. Open. After splitting the fairway with a tee shot on the par-4 16th, his approach flies over the green. He shoots 72, good enough to beat more than half the field but not good enough for advancement to  sectional qualifying.
    
While most NFL players’ off-season golf consists of teeing it up with their buddies or in charity outings, the 27-year-old Romo likes to test himself. In addition to the U.S. Open, he has attempted to qualify for the EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Texas Open, with limited success.
    
But his low completion percentage has done little to diminish his love for golf. “I love the fact I can try to produce something and the fact people don’t think I can do it,” says Romo, who overcame similar odds in football. He was an undrafted free agent from Division I-AA Eastern Illinois University before becoming the Cowboys starting quarterback. 
    
A 1-handicap, Romo has had to cut back on golf this summer to learn a new offense under incoming coach Wade Phillips. But he was never one to beat balls on the range. ”I’m a feel player,” he says. “I try to practice while I play.”
    
Romo’s regular games usually involve tour pros like Ben Crane, Todd Hamilton and Hank Kuehne, and one of his golf highlights is a 70 at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth. “Both golf and football have opportunities for me to be aggressive and to charge toward the lead,” he says. “Unlike some people, I play better near the lead and I’m learning when to take chances.”