Bud Cauley’s "A Dream Come True" Instagram Post Draws Congratulations From Fellow Golfers
Jun 13, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Bud Cauley hits his tee shot at the second hole during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Jun 13, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Bud Cauley hits his tee shot at the second hole during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Bud Cauley registered a hard-fought win at the RBC Canadian Open to secure his first PGA Tour title, completing a journey from surviving a serious car crash in 2018 to winning on his 239th PGA TOUR start.
The 36-year-old later shared a picture of his family with the trophy on Instagram, where fellow golfers flooded the comments section with congratulatory messages.
“A dream come true in more ways than one. Thank you to everyone who made this possible,” wrote Cauley in his Instagram post.
Familiar names from the PGA and LPGA Tours flooded the comments and acknowledged Cauley’s achievement.
“Love you guys!! So happy for you,” wrote six-time LPGA winner Jessica Korda.
“You dropped this [crown emoji],” commented World No. 16 Justin Thomas, who did not feature at TPC Toronto.
“Awesome stuff amigo!!” wrote former PGA Tour pro John Peterson.
“Yay !!!!!!! Congratulations bud!!!!!!” commented two-time LPGA Tour winner Marina Alex.
Tears rolled down Cauley’s face as he sank a 10-inch putt on the final hole to secure his first PGA Tour title on his 239th start, 15 years after turning professional.
Despite difficult conditions in Toronto on Sunday, Cauley shot a 5-under 65 and recorded four birdies on the back nine to secure the win, edging two-time RBC Heritage winner Matt Fitzpatrick by two strokes before reflecting emotionally on his journey.
Cauley Revealed His Struggles After The Win
Cauley faced an uphill battle on the way to his first PGA Tour win. Back in June 2018, he was involved in a car accident that almost took his life.
"There were times when I was hurt that we really weren't sure if I was going to be able to play again," said Cauley. "There were moments and conversations that [wife Kristi Cauley] and I had where we didn't know if it was going to work out.”
Cauley suffered severe injuries in the accident. He broke five ribs and his left leg, and suffered a collapsed lung in the crash.
The Florida-born golfer returned to competition in October 2018 but experienced health issues in September 2020.
Finally, he returned in January 2024 to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour and now has a PGA Tour title to his name.
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Written by
Avishek Sarkar
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav