Bud Cauley returns to Memorial success after car crash

DUBLIN, Ohio – When Bud Cauley finally returned to hitting balls after recovering from a scary car crash at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide last year it was fitting that Jack Nicklaus was on hand.

About three and a half months had passed since Cauley was on one of four people involved in an accident where he broke six ribs, fractured his left leg and suffered a collapsed lung when he found himself out on the range at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida.

And there was the Golden Bear himself, just by happenstance, but there all the same as Cauley hit a “little thin wedge” to officially begin his journey back to the PGA TOUR.

Nicklaus had also been at the hospital in Columbus, with wife Barbara, to visit Cauley in the days after the accident that also included former NHL player James Wisniewski.

His presence was not missed by Cauley who marked his return to Nicklaus’ tournament in Columbus this week with a 5-under 67 opening round, putting him into a tie for third.

“One of the doctors I was seeing down south works with Mr. Nicklaus, so it was the day that the doctor thought I should try to hit a couple of balls, and he just happened to be out there with Mr. Nicklaus. It was nice,” Cauley recalled.

“Mr. Nicklaus and Ms. Barbara both came to visit me in the hospital last year when I was in there. So they've been really nice through the whole thing. It's been great to have their support.”

Of course the support system around Cauley has been immense and includes long-time friend Justin Thomas.

Thomas was emotional early this week when recalling a year ago. He was actually staying with Wisniewski and was concerned for both of his friends.

“That was probably one of the hardest nights I've ever had in my life,” Thomas said.

“I didn't know if I should go to the hospital or not. And I felt like it was somewhat my fault somehow and it was like what if something happens he can't play golf again. And there were a lot of things that run through your head when something like that happens and it's one of your best and closest friends.”

Cauley was knocked unconscious in the wreck and doesn’t recall the specifics. Police though surmised the events and Cauley was shown a recreation on video at one point.

“We went off the road, hit a culvert, flew up in the air and spun a little bit and we hit the side of a tree,” Cauley said.

“When we hit the tree, it turned over and we flipped. And I guess we flipped across some other little trees and ended up in some grass.”

By all reports he was lucky not to be more seriously injured. The passenger next to him still has physical therapy for injuries twice a week.

“I was really fortunate with what happened last year to be able to come out and still play golf and do what I love to do,” he adds.

When he came to in the hospital his first question to doctors was why he couldn’t breathe properly (collapsed lung) – his second was whether he’d play golf again.

The answer wasn’t exactly definitive as they were plating his broken ribs and the doctor had never done so on a professional golfer before.

“For the first month or so the swelling was so bad on my side I couldn't even grip a club, let alone swing one… even just sitting around or talking or breathing with the lung was pretty tough,” the 29-year-old said.

“But luckily the surgery went well and I was able to start hitting balls not too long after that. And so far I've been able to play with no pain at all.”

While he won’t go back past the scene of the accident, Cauley said he was always going to return to the Memorial Tournament.

And he is trying to use the incident as a positive moving forward.

“It was something terrible to go through but it definitely wasn't going to keep me from coming back and playing here. It's a great event. I love the golf course. I'll always look forward to coming back here,” he added.

“It was the scariest time of my life. But I think I learned a lot from it. I've always appreciated playing golf. When you're laying there and you don't know if you're going to be able to do it again, it puts everything in a different perspective. It definitely changed me. I think it changed me for the better.”

Cauley has four top-25s in 17 starts this season, with a T10 finish at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open his best.

He sits 101st in the FedExCup but clearly, after his bogey-free Thursday has a chance to do much better.

“We're all very happy to see him back,” Thomas said.

“There's not many places you could put Bud Cauley and I in the world and we wouldn't have fun together. He's one of my boys. I'm excited for the time that he does win and just hope I'm there when he does.”

He’d certainly be a popular winner at Muirfield Village.