Bud Cauley enjoyed a hugely successful amateur career and a promising start to life on the PGA Tour but has not been seen for a number of years. If you don't know all that much about the American, get to know him better with these facts.
Bud Cauley Facts
1. William Carl "Bud" Cauley III was born on March 16, 1990 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
2. He is five feet seven inches tall.
3. His father and grandfather are both U.S. Navy veterans. His mother is a reading coach at an elementary school.
4. Cauley was introduced to the game at age five by his father, Bill.
5. He took a quick liking to the sport and was ultimately home-schooled so he could practice during the day.
6. He was a standout junior golfer, among the top 15 in the world, and represented the US at the 2006 Ryder Cup alongside fellow PGA Tour pro Tony Finau.
7. Cauley played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama where he was a three-time first-team All-American. He was also a three-time finalist for the Ben Hogan Award.
8. He was the youngest American player in the 2009 Walker Cup team. America swept to a 16.5-9.5 victory, with Cauley - playing alongside Rickie Fowler - going 3-0-1 in his four matches.
9. In 2011, Cauley turned professional after qualifying for the 2011 US Open. He went on to finish T63 in that tournament.
10. During his first year on Tour, he earned $735,150 in just eight PGA Tour starts. Having finished 116th in the end-of-season money list, he earned his Tour card directly to the PGA Tour for the 2012 season. He joined the likes of Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, and Tiger Woods as those who avoided Q school and went directly to the PGA Tour after college.
11. His best finish at a Major championship is a T32nd finish at the 2013 Open Championship.
12. Cauley was a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for a number of years until he suffered a car accident in June 2018 which saw him sustain six broken ribs, a broken leg and a collapsed lung.
13. He returned to competition that fall and competed at a solid level for two years but was forced to step away again in 2020 after complications from the accident returned.
14. Cauley underwent several surgeries as he attempted to fix issues with his ribs and, at one point, considered retirement. However, a most recent surgery proved successful and the American returned to pro golf.
15. Following two starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, Cauley made his return to the Tour at the WM Phoenix Open where he finished 65th.
16. His favorite quote is "Winners never quit, and quitters never win."
17. Among his bucket-list items includes scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
18. Cauley has earned almost $10 million in prize money on the PGA Tour despite being yet to earn a maiden victory.
19. He has made at least 11 hole-in-ones throughout his life.
20. Cauley's wife is called Kristi and the pair have one son called Cooper. They are expecting their second son in January 2025.
