Tony Romo's week went from bad to worse. Just days after CBS Sports announced it was cutting ties with the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Romo found himself disqualified from a Korn Ferry pre-qualifier tournament on Friday. The culprit? A scorecard error that violated PGA Tour rules.
Romo, who had been competing in the 54-hole event, thought he had carded rounds of 76, 75, and 74. But a closer look at his final-round scorecard revealed a discrepancy on holes 16 and 17. According to Ryan French of Monday Q Info, Romo signed for a pair of 4s on those holes when he actually shot 5s on both.
Michael Bamberger of Golf.com detailed the mix-up, citing an Oklahoma pro who reviewed Romo's hole-by-hole scores online. The witness recalled Romo three-putting for bogey on both holes, meaning his actual scores were 5 and 5, not the 4s he signed for. Under PGA Tour-sanctioned rules, signing for a lower score than what you shot results in automatic disqualification.
The timing couldn't be more awkward. Romo was on the course the same day CBS announced his departure, following his July 23 arrest on charges of unsafe passing on the right, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and possessing open intoxicants. The network's decision wasn't a shock, but it added another layer of drama to an already turbulent stretch for the former Pro Bowler.
Despite the setback, Romo's future remains a hot topic. Sam Neumann of Awful Announcing suggested Romo could eventually step into Terry Bradshaw's shoes on FOX NFL Sunday, while NFL insider Mike Florio floated the idea of the Cowboys bringing Romo back in some front-office capacity, much like the Falcons did with Matt Ryan as president of football operations.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, ever the optimist, offered a heartfelt defense of Romo during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. "Tony is one of the most valued relationships that I have on a personal basis," Jones said. "I love him and I’m sorry that this has evolved this way this year because I enjoyed him so much in what he could bring to the NFL and, frankly, I was proud of him as a former Cowboy."
Jones continued, "Now, having said all of that, he’s just getting started. He really is. I say that with all sincerity. He’s just getting started. And he certainly has made some mistakes. I can’t look in my mirror without seeing what can happen when you experience mistakes. But he realizes that there’s an area of his life that he wants to do better in. That’s been said ad nauseam publicly. He’s got great opportunity ahead of him. I don’t know of anyone, period, that has a better future than Tony Romo. And I’m excited for him."
Romo's golf game has been a side hustle for years, but this disqualification is a reminder that even celebrities can't escape the sport's strict rules. As for his broadcasting career, the NFL announcer landscape is always shifting, and Romo's name will likely stay in the conversation. Whether he returns to the booth or takes a different path, Cowboys fans will be watching closely.
For now, Romo's immediate focus might be on damage control. But if Jerry Jones is right, this is just a bump in the road for a man with a bright future ahead.
