March 22 (UPI) -- Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo hit back-to-back birdies Thursday during his PGA Tour debut in the Dominican Republic.
Romo finished the day with a 5-over-par 77, good for 128th place at the Corales Puntaccana Resort & Club Championship in Punta Cana.
Brice Garnett led the field after Thursday's first round with a 9-under-par 63.
Romo -- who now serves as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports -- bogeyed the first two holes in the first round, before making par on No. 3. He then stepped up to the par 5, 565-yard fourth hole. Romo sank his fourth shot for a birdie on the hole. He confidently walked onto the par 4, 465-yard fifth hole, where he drilled another birdie putt to move to even par for the round. Romo made par on No. 6, bogeyed No. 7, birdied No. 8 and made par on No. 9 to finish with par on the front nine.
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But the former Pro Bowler would struggle on the back nine. Romo failed to make a birdie and had three bogeys and a double-bogey, carding a 41 as he walked back to the clubhouse.
"We hit the ball good today," Romo told the Golf Channel after the round. "I hit a lot of good shots. I ended up a couple times in some poor spots. But you learn the golf course as you play throughout the week. You just gotta putt."
Romo tees off at 1 p.m. Friday, along with Garnett, Denny McCarthy, Brett Stegmaier, Tyler McCumber and Dru Love.
