When Tony Romo finished his round at a Web.com Tour pre-qualifier at Lantana Golf Club on Friday, he had seemingly come up one shot short of moving on to the first stage of qualifying. But when a fellow competitor signed an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback advanced on the golfing equivalent of a Hail Mary pass.
Romo shot a 2-over 74 on Friday, which ended up being good enough for a tie for 36th place, exactly what he needed to move on the qualifying process.
DQ Bumps Romo Up to Final Qualifying Spot
Initially, that score would have tied him for 37th place. With only the top 36 golfers – plus those tied for the 36th position – moving on, it appeared he was out of luck for this qualifying campaign.
But the incorrect scorecard gaffe by Japanese golfer Tomo Watanabe allowed Romo and several others to sneak into that final position, and he became one of 39 players to advance through to the first stage of Web.com Tour qualifying.
Romo will now be seeded into one of the 12 first-stage fields, where he will play in a full 72-hole event in late September or early October. Romo would still have to advance through two tournaments – the first and second qualifying stages – in order to reach the December qualifying finals in Chandler, Arizona, where players who finish in the top 45 positions will earn exemptions for the 2019 Web.com Tour season.
Romo shot a 2-over 218 for the pre-qualifier, shooting 72 in each of the first two rounds before closing with a 74. According to the four-time Pro Bowl selection, the competition was just as tough as he expected.
“Everyone playing here is an accomplished, really good golfer,” Romo said after his round, but before finding out if he had made the cut. “You have to play good to be in the mix.”
Romo Has Proven Himself on the Golf Course
At least for the time being, Romo is playing as an amateur in qualifying. But this isn’t just some vanity project: while the former NFL standout may be a longshot to become a regular on the Web.com Tour next year, he’s already proven that he’s an accomplished golfer.
According to the Texas State Golf Association, Romo boasts a 0.4 handicap – far from the level of a PGA Tour pro, but impressive by amateur standards. In March, he played in a PGA Tour event in the Dominican Republic, missing the cut after shooting 77-82 over the first two rounds. On the other hand, he’s always a contender in celebrity golf tournaments, winning the American Century Championship in July.
Still, it’s hard to imagine the 38-year-old Romo ever finding as much success on the golf course as he did on the football field. In an NFL career that spanned 13 seasons – all with the Dallas Cowboys – Romo compiled a 78-49 record as a starting quarterback. He throw for 248 touchdowns and more than 34,000 yards over the course of his career.
Romo isn’t the first athlete from another sport to compete in a Web.com Tour event this year. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry competed in the Ellie Mae Classic in August, failing to make the cut there for the second straight year.
