Tony Romo describes playing in former President George W. Bush’s “Warrior Open”
Tony Romo couldn’t help but be impressed by the other “Tony” in his golf group on Monday morning.
Anthony “Tony” Odierno, a captain in the United States Army who lost his left arm in August 2004 while serving overseas in Iraq, ripped drive after drive down the middle of the fairway using a special prosthesis.
“He striped it today,” Romo said. “He just put them down the middle of the fairways. He’s one of the guys we’re talking about that’s really neat just to be around.”
Romo’s group finished third in The Bush Institute’s “Warrior Open,” held in conjunction with the AT&T Byron Nelson. PGA Tour pro and Colleyville resident Ryan Palmer’s team won the Pro-Am portion of the event, and U.S. Marine Capt. Jerry Woods of Pennsylvania was crowned Warrior Open Champion.
For Romo, being part of the event is special and hits home as his father, Ramiro, served in the Navy.
“It’s an honor to get invited to come out and play and hang out with these guys,” Romo said. “The feelings we have for the people who sacrifice for our country, it’s hard to put into words just how meaningful it is to the rest of us. It’s a pleasure to see them.”
The same can be said for the military veterans such as Odierno.
The “Warrior Open” is described as a golf tournament “that underscores the importance of sports as a rehabilitation component for our men and women injured on the front lines.”
Odierno lost his left arm when a Humvee he was traveling in was ambushed by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). Golf is something that has helped him get through the devastating moment.
“It’s one of the first things that got me out of the hospital,” Odierno said. “When I was outdoors, doing something I used to do, just by doing that, gave me the confidence that I could still do whatever I wanted to do, especially early on after I’d just been injured.
“Golf has had a big impact on my life and my recovery from what I went through in Iraq.”
Playing in the Warrior Open with a guy such as Romo is just an added perk for Odierno, although Odierno -- who lives in the Northeast -- wouldn’t specify his NFC East affiliation.
“I’m an NFC East fan. I can’t say I’m a Cowboys fan,” Odierno said, smiling. “But I’m certainly a fan of Tony Romo.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2019 at 4:24 PM.