Former NFL star Tony Romo returned to the links for just his fourth PGA Tour event via the Safeway Open.

The quarterback-turned-football analyst has a well-documented interest in golf but has not fared too well on the course as a professional since retiring from the NFL in 2016.

However, that could change this weekend at the Silverado Country club in Napa, California, where he opened with a two-under-par 70 in the first round on Thursday.

It was the lowest round Romo has ever posted on tour, eclipsing his previous low round of eight-over par that came at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas last season.

Romo used five birdies to help come back from an up-and-down round, and if he keeps it up, he could miss a previous engagement over the weekend.

Romo is currently scheduled to call the Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears game on Sunday. He admitted after his round that choosing between competing on tour over the weekend or fulfilling his broadcast duties is "a good problem to have".

He has already outpaced the likes of Kyle Stanley, Kevin Chappell and Hideki Matsuyama.