They are the two worst words a professional golfer can hear.
No status — no status on any professional tour.
Andres Romero, a winner of the 2008 Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour and the 2007 Deutsche Bank on the European Tour, had no status going into the BMW International outside Munich this past week.
He was in on a gracious sponsor’s invite. He was ranked No. 837 in the world, maybe not even worthy of a sponsor invite.
He made the most of it with a dazzling 65 on Sunday at the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried. He finished 17-under par then waited nervously to watch the final pairing of Sergio Garcia and Richard Bland play the 72nd hole, an easily-reachable par five. An eagle by either would force a playoff. No eagles. Garcia, Bland and Thomas Detry all came up a shot short of Romero.
“I’m really, really happy,” said the likeable pro from Argentina.
He should be happy.
Now he has status on the European Tour again and he’ll take a big jump in the world rankings.
One great afternoon and he climbed his way out of golfer’s hell.
