PGA Tour professional returns to Phoenix Open after sophisticated 4-year absence

Virtually six years in the past, PGA Tour skilled Bud Cauley suffered extreme accidents in a automotive crash in Dublin, Ohio, the house of Muirfield Village Golf Membership.

He instantly underwent surgical procedure to restore six damaged ribs, a fractured leg, and a collapsed lung, all of which have been sustained simply hours after he missed the minimize on the 2018 Memorial Match.

Cauley went on to overlook 4 months, making his return on the Safeway Open that fall. He would go on to play for a pair extra years, however then a ache in his facet started to trouble him within the fall of 2020.

That discomfort stemmed from the accident in June 2018.

“I went and noticed a few medical doctors. They thought it was possibly one of many plates I had in my chest. So I went to have the plates eliminated [in April 2021], they usually couldn’t get them out as a result of the bone had grown on high of them,” Cauley defined Tuesday on the WM Phoenix Open.

Photograph by Steven Ryan/Getty Photographs

“So that they stitched me again up, stated, ‘I believe we’ll be okay, we took slightly scar tissue out, you’ll be effective.’ Then, 12 days later, my incision popped open. I’m simply standing in the home, [my wife] Christy goes, ‘Your shirt is type of moist.’ I take my shirt off; there’s only a gap within the facet of my chest.”

Cauley instantly went to the emergency room, the place one other surgical procedure awaited him.

Sadly for him, his incisions didn’t heal nicely, which consequently led to extra operations.

“It was only a entire mess,” Cauley added. “I had a seroma and received C-diff from all of the antibiotics. The whole lot that might go fallacious appeared to go fallacious. That set me again simply over three years.”

The previous Alabama Crimson Tide star barely touched a membership between April 2021 and September 2023, thanks to those issues. He may chip, putt, and hit pitch pictures, however he couldn’t make a full swing.

“It’s laborious to place into phrases how a lot you miss one thing while you develop up doing it day-after-day,” Cauley stated.

“You play golf day-after-day, and when it will get taken away, it does change your perspective on simply how lucky we’re to have the ability to play golf and even to get to do the factor that you simply take pleasure in doing.”

Fortunately for Cauley, his lovely golf swing didn’t change one bit regardless of the lengthy layoff. He has not misplaced any pace both, which is spectacular contemplating all of the operations.

However now, like every skilled golfer, Cauley’s sole focus is working to get higher.

“I’ve actually tried to only enhance slightly bit day-after-day,” Cauley defined.

Photograph by Mike Mulholland/Getty Photographs

“First, it was to get my physique to the place I may begin taking part in extra, and now that I’m again out right here… I really feel very ready. I’ve had sufficient time to apply and prepare. I’m simply going to go on the market and actually simply compete, and I believe the novelty of it would put on off, and I’ll have the ability to simply concentrate on the golf.”

Cauley started his 2024 season within the Bahamas, taking part in two occasions on the Korn Ferry Tour to work his method again into the aggressive realm.

He performed decently nicely for somebody who has missed near 4 years of motion, ending in a tie for twenty first and a tie for thirty fifth.

“I can apply and play at residence, however till you get in a event and have the scorecard and have to complete out, it’s laborious to copy that at residence,” Cauley stated of his expertise within the Bahamas.

“It was a terrific warmup for me. After a few days, I felt like I received the swing of it and fell again into a pleasant rhythm. That was nice.”

This week, Cauley is again on the PGA Tour, making his first begin because the 2020 Safeway Open. He has performed within the WM Phoenix Open 5 occasions earlier than, along with his finest end coming in 2013, when he tied for twenty fourth.

Everybody in Phoenix this week is delighted to see Cauley, particularly the buddies he’s staying with close to TPC Scottsdale.

However maybe no one in Arizona will likely be happier than Cauley himself, no matter what occurs along with his rating.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. You should definitely take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.