Tony Romo Eyeing Next Opportunity to Qualify for U.S. Open

Usually, when we’re talking about Tony Romo, it’s either about his days as a Dallas Cowboys or his current job as a top NFL analyst. But this weekend, it’s all about golf.

Romo likes where his golf game is in late April, he says, so much so that he’s going to play in a U.S. Open qualifier early next month. He talked to the Dallas Morning News about his progress after he finished the first round of the Invited Celebrity Classic tournament.

“Had a really good spring,” Tony Romo said of his other sport. “Got a lot of reps in, probably the most I’ve had leading up to this part of the year, where you could say the tournament season kind of starts in some ways.

“I feel ready. Body feels good. Back is always kind of a thing. (I’ve) had two back surgeries, but that feels strong right now. If that holds up, I think I’ll do all right this week.”

Romo plans to play in a local U.S. Open qualifier, May 3, in Odessa, Tx. There will be 132 golfers competing for four spots into the next round of qualifying for the U.S. Open, which will be played in June at the Los Angeles Country Club.

Tony Romo did well in the first round of the Invited Celebrity Classic. He was in third place and tied with former LPGA star Annika Sorenstam. Competitors in the 40-person tournament include a ton of former Dallas area pro athletes. Ex-Cowboy stars Emmitt Smith and DeMarcus Ware, both Pro Football Hall of Famers. also are in the field. So is former Texas Ranger catcher Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez.

It’s not outlandish for the 43-year-old Tony Romo to think that he can qualify his way into the U.S. Open. He last tried in 2021. Playing in a local qualfier in north Texas, he shot a 75. That ended up being two strokes out of a playoff for the final qualifying spot. Back in 2010, Romo did make it out of local qualifying into the sectionals. But he’s never sniffed the Open, one of golf’s grand slams.

However, Tony Romo will be playing a prestigious golf tournament next month. He and fellow teammate Tommy Morrison, a freshman on the Texas Longhorn golf team, qualified for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball tournament at Kiawah Island, S.C. May 20-24. The two earned the spot in the tournment through qualifying last October.

Romo is playing a lot of golf. And sports personality Colin Cowherd recently suggested that Romo’s broadcasting career is suffering because of his golfing side gig.

“Tony wants to be on the PGA Tour — but he likes the paycheck from CBS,” Cowherd said.