Tony Romo's Golf Aspirations Hit Snag After Plea Deal

Tony Romo's pursuit of a professional golf career has encountered a significant setback as he failed to qualify in a pre-qualifying event for the PGA Tour's Q-School. The former NFL quarterback, whose future with CBS remains uncertain after a July arrest for operating while intoxicated (OWI), finished tied for 49th place, 15 shots behind the leader and three strokes shy of the qualifying line.

Romo shot a four-over-par 76 in his opening round and followed it with a three-over-par 75 on Thursday. He was competing against amateur and professional golfers from around the world in Oklahoma.

This golf tournament marked Romo's first public appearance since accepting a plea deal in Wisconsin earlier this month for his OWI arrest. In July, he was pulled over in Milwaukee and subsequently charged. Bodycam footage of his sobriety tests went viral, and CBS placed him on indefinite leave ahead of the NFL season.

Romo has a history of pursuing professional golf, having previously attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur. He has also participated in Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour events, including the AT&T Byron Nelson. His attempts at the PGA Tour's Q-School pre-qualifying have been unsuccessful in the past.

The OWI arrest occurred in July, shortly after Romo reportedly played in the final round of the Wisconsin Amateur Championship. He has competed in this annual tournament multiple times.

As part of his plea deal, Romo must avoid any further OWI-related offenses for the next 10 years, or he faces a mandatory jail sentence. He has also agreed to install an ignition interlock device on all his vehicles, received a $700 fine, and had his driver's license revoked for six months. Additionally, he committed to completing an alcohol assessment program.

Romo was charged with first-offense OWI, unsafe passing, and possession of open intoxicants. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the other citations.

Earlier in the month, Romo addressed his struggles with pain medication and alcohol dependency, taking responsibility for the incident. He stated, "Football has shaped nearly every meaningful part of my life... This is one of those moments when I am leaning on everything football taught me. This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely."

Romo, who reportedly earns $18 million annually with CBS, was initially slated to miss only the first week of the NFL season. However, he has not yet returned to broadcast duties for CBS after the initial three games. JJ Watt has been filling his role alongside play-by-play commentator Jim Nantz.