Ex-Cowboys QB Tony Romo to Play in 54-Hole Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will participate in a 54-hole fundraising tournament at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas, from Tuesday through Thursday.

"We're a caddie-only club, and our caddies have not been working because of COVID-19," Alison Morrison, managing member at Maridoe Golf Club, said, per Bob Harig of ESPN. "We thought, why don't we have a little bit of a match, so to speak, sharpen our blades, put on a 54-hole, social distancing event. Leave the pins. No rakes in bunkers. Let's play for them, basically. And within a day, I had 24 members who said yes."

The Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational will feature 72 players, and their $250 entry fees are going to the club's caddies.

Given concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, there will be social-distancing measures in place.

Players will carry their own bags or use pull carts without caddies, they will not turn in scorecards and they cannot arrive more than 30 minutes before they are scheduled to begin their round. What's more, the driving range was turned into a short, par-three course for limited warm-ups.

Romo is not the only notable retired professional athlete who is expected to participate. Former Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Deron Williams, who was a three-time All-Star during his NBA career, is also expected to play.

Morrison said she expects Jordan Spieth to attend, seeing as how he is a member of the club, but he will not play.

This could be something of a trial run for golf tournaments in the era of COVID-19, especially since the first scheduled PGA Tour event for its revised schedule is set to take place in Texas on June 11-14.

Romo is an avid golfer who even has a player profile page on the PGA Tour's website.

He shot an impressive two-under 70 in the opening round of the 2019 Safeway Open and even had Sports Illustrated wondering if he could make it as a professional golfer if he devoted his time to pursue such a career.

This tournament will be another opportunity for him to prove his abilities on the links.