Bud Cauley’s Triumph: From Tragedy to the Winner’s Circle

Written By Kim Manunui

Fair play, Bud Cauley. Honestly, sometimes you watch this game and you get a result that just puts everything into perspective. We spend so much time talking about swing mechanics and world ranking points that we forget these lads are human. But this week at the RBC Canadian Open? That wasn't just a win. That was a reckoning.

I’ll be honest, I had to do a double-take when I saw the leaderboard roll in. Bud Cauley—17 under par, two shots clear of Matt Fitzpatrick. It’s his first PGA Tour victory. And yes, you heard that right, first. This is a guy who has been on the fringes for what feels like forever, and he finally gets it done. Fitzy pushed him hard, but you saw it on that last hole, didn't you? The nerves were jangling, the wheels were wobbling a little bit, but he held his nerve to make that five and seal the deal. It was gritty. It was messy. It was perfect.

But here is where you have to take your hat off. To understand what this means, you have to rewind the clock. Think back to 2018. That car crash he was in? It wasn't just a fender bender. It was the sort of accident where the first question isn't "will he play golf again?"—it's "is he going to survive the night?" He broke his leg, he snapped five ribs, he collapsed a lung. For a professional athlete whose entire livelihood depends on twisting his torso at speed, that is a career obituary waiting to be written.

He didn't just come back to the tour; he had to scrap for every single yard. There were times when walking the course must have felt like a marathon, let alone trying to shoot 66.

So, to see him standing there on the 18th green, with his wife waiting for him and his two kids running around without a care in the world? That got me right in the feels, that one. That’s not just a golf win. That’s life affirming. He's secured his exemption, he's opened up a world of possibilities, and frankly, he's given every club player who has ever had a setback a reason to believe.

Now, all eyes turn to next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York. In our latest podcast out now - We’ve got a full course preview, a quiz to test your knowledge, and our tips on who’s gonna take that one out.

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth.  And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

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