SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — For Former Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback and current CBS NFL broadcaster Tony Romo, his Wednesday practice round was his first time back on the Highland Springs course since he pulled out last year for a wrist injury.
“Well, I’m excited,” Romo said. “I was disapointed. I didn’t know I had a fracture in a bone in the hand. I thought it was more of a tendinitis thing or something. I was wrong.”
Now this weekend at the Price Cutter Charity Championship serves as a second chance.
It’s one he knows all too well comes rare in the world of professional golf.
“Well you’re not afforded a ton of these so they’re very important. For me, it’s like it’s your Masters or US Open coming in. You only get one or two of these at this level if you’re lucky. I’m fortunate enough to have an opportunity thise week and I want to take full advantage of it. This is probably the best my game has been coming into a professional event of this caliber.”
With that confidence, Romo found this round a lot more fun than the opening round last year when he played just three complete holes.
“Yeah, quite a bit. It was really fun. We had a great group today. The guys played fantastic. It was one of the more fun Pro-Am’s I’ve been a part of. Just a lot of great people around here. Everyone is so nice.”
But Thursday’s 9:06 AM tee time from the 10th hole comes with a tone shift from fun to serious work if he wants to make his first Korn Ferry cut.
Especially on a course where everyone shoots low and his competition doesn’t have as many side jobs.
“Just take it shot by shot and go as low as you can. If my game is on, I’ll be able to shoot some low scores. It’s just these guys are more on than I am. More consistent and day in, day out. But when I’m playing good golf, I play with a lot of these guys back home too so I’m able to compete.”
Plus Romo has his secret weapon: that now famous ability to predict what comes next in a football game.
Something he says can translate over to golf.
“Absolutely. I can say it’s going to go right there in the water. Right there in the hole. I’m saying it’s going to go in the hole this week. That’s what we’re trying.”
As for whether that prediction comes true, we’ll just have to see on Thursday.
