Bud Cauley secured his first PGA Tour victory at the RBC Canadian Open, shooting a final-round 65 to finish at 17-under par. The emotional win comes after a career-threatening car crash and a long rehabilitation for the 36-year-old American.
Cauley held his nerve at TPC Toronto to win by two shots over England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, who was chasing a fourth victory of the season. A closing 65, which matched the best scores of the day, was enough to hold off a strong field, with Norway’s Viktor Hovland finishing third, a further shot behind Fitzpatrick. Tommy Fleetwood, who began the day in contention, carded an even-par 70 to finish in a tie for 11th.
The victory was a significant moment for Cauley, whose career was derailed by a 2018 car crash that left him with five broken ribs, a broken leg, and a collapsed lung. After medical complications, he did not play professionally from September 2020 until January 2024. When asked what he was thinking about after his win, he replied, “Just how hard that was,”.
He credited his support system for helping him through the recovery. “Just so many people helped me get here and I’m just really thankful for all the help that I’ve gotten,” Cauley stated. “Once I got the opportunity to start playing again I just told myself that I was going to try to just do everything the right way and give myself the best chance.”
The win was also a reward for his family’s perseverance through difficult times. “I put my wife through so much during those dark times and it’s just nice to have a little success as a kind of a thank you,” he added. This victory secures his tour status and provides a major boost to his FedEx Cup ranking ahead of the US Open.
