CBS NFL broadcast analyst and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo seems to be doing fine in retirement. Romo will be teeing off in the Dominican Republic for the PGA Tour's Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, which spans from March 19-25. Romo -- a sponsor exemption for the event, is a longtime golfer that has been playing as an amateur this season.
Romo confirmed on Wednesday in a press conference that he was granted a sponsor exemption by the championship, which carries a $3 million purse. He can be seen on the Golf Channel. Romo will also be competing as an amateur for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which tees off on Thursday. The former Cowboys quarterback also explained his decision to play in this event.
"As a professional athlete, the love and thrill of competition never entirely leaves you," Romo said in a press conference, via pgatour.com. "Outside of my family and football, golf is one of my greatest passions. So, playing and competing in a PGA Tour event is a dream come true. I am grateful to the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship for giving me an incredible opportunity to test my skills against some of the best on tour."
Grupo Puntacana's founder and chairman Frank Rainieri also expressed his excitement to have Romo join the event.
"As a first-year PGA Tour event, we are elated to have Tony Romo accept our offer to play in the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship," said Rainieri. "Tony Romo rose to an elite level in professional football, and then quickly became a popular and well-regarded broadcaster for CBS when he retired. He has a history of achieving success in the face of major challenges. And now he's going to face a new one, the rare opportunity to compete as an amateur against the world's best golfers. We are very excited to see how this plays out."
Romo has been trying to play professional golf for some time, including three attempts to play in the U.S. Open. In 2010 he made it to sectional qualifiers for the national championship, but his NFL schedule impeded him from advancing further. In 2017, he played in the Western Amateur and American Century Championship tournaments. Now, he'll be able to play pro, albeit with a caveat.
Now 37 years old, Romo will look to continue his golfing career. He's already been in the booth for some golf announcing. However, if he gets his way, Jim Nantz will be calling his name -- this time on the links, very soon.
