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Bud Cauley poses with the trophy with his wife Kristi and their two young sons.

Bud Cauley lifted his first PGA Tour trophy at the RBC Canadian Open. Graduating as one of the most promising stars in the history of the game, to a life-threatening accident that took him out for years, to finally winning at TPC Ontario. It was all a rollercoaster ride.

Without his wife, Kristi, he might not have pushed through the dark times.

“Once I got the opportunity to start playing again, I just told myself that I was going to do everything the right way and give myself the best chance,” Cauley expressed to CBS reporter Amanda Balionis.

“I put my wife through so much during those dark times and it’s just nice to have a little success as kind of a thank you.”

Cauley met his wife Kristi after the 2018 accident in Dublin, Ohio, which happened during the Memorial Tournament. There were times when the 36-year-old was losing all hope. His wife helped him pull through.

“I hit that putt up there to a few inches and I kind of stood on the front of the green and I looked over and saw Kristi, Cooper, and Miles standing there,” Cauley added post game. “I started to tear up. I tried to look down. I had a short putt, but I was trying and couldn’t see.”

Kristi Helped Bud Cauley Through the Dark Times

Medical setbacks due to failed surgeries plagued him for three years. He visited countless doctors. Hope faded with each failed treatment. His wife expressed more on this painful journey.

“I’m not sure if the lowest time for him was really the beginning or the end, because the beginning, you’re almost like, ‘Oh, it’ll be fine,'” Kristi said in PGA Tour’s documentary “Mindful”. “You kind of have this hope. And then after a while, the hope diminishes.”

Kristi provided unwavering support. She kept him focused on the future.

“There were moments and conversations that Kristi and I had where we didn’t know if it was going to work out,” Cauley confessed post win.

“He really handled it with grace,” Kristi said. “He never let that part interfere with being there for me or Cooper or any of that. I think that that was, to me, the most impressive part of all of it.”

Kristi Notices Bud Cauley’s New Perspective

His traumatic experience altered his mindset. Bad days on the golf course matter less. Kristi sees this new outlook helping him.

“Life has changed so much, but I think it’s given him perspective on golf,” Kristi said. “He plays with the mindset that you kind of got the opportunity to play again. I think that helps him actually perform better.”

Cauley’s dad, Bill, was a navy diver. After giving 20 years of his life to his country, he picked up some great values that he instilled in Cauley. He taught the Canadian Open winner to never quit and never stop running.

“Just keep going,” Cauley said. “You never know how things can change. And never quitting is really what comes to mind the most. Don’t stop running. He[Bill] didn’t quit, so that means that quitting isn’t in me.”