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.”
