Jack Nicklaus sends emotional message to Bud Cauley after long-awaited first PGA Tour win

Jack Nicklaus has paid an emotional tribute to Bud Cauley after the American finally secured his maiden PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at the RBC Canadian Open.

Cauley, 36, held off world number four Matt Fitzpatrick at TPC Toronto to claim a first win in his 239th PGA Tour start, completing one of the most inspiring comeback stories in the sport. 

The victory prompted a heartfelt message from Nicklaus, who has closely followed Cauley's career since the player suffered life-threatening injuries in a car accident during the Memorial Tournament in 2018.

Posting on Instagram, the record 18-time major champion praised Cauley's resilience and determination to return to the highest level of the game.

"Congratulations Bud Cauley! What a tournament and first PGA Tour win at the Canadian Open," wrote Nicklaus.

"You played it and finished it like a champ, and YOU ARE the champ."

Nicklaus also joked that Cauley had achieved something he never managed during his own legendary career.

"And you did something I could never do, which is win in Canada."

The message then turned to the challenges Cauley has overcome to reach this moment.

"It's been a loooong journey since that horrible day in June of 2018 at Muirfield Village, with the car accident,"* Nicklaus continued.

"The injuries, the surgeries, the years away from the game. Oh boy, you have been through so much. Then all the hard work you put in to come back. It's all worth it, Bud."

Nicklaus added that everyone at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida — where Cauley is a member — had been cheering him on.

"We are all so happy and proud of you. Barbara and I both congratulate you on a job well done and wish you good luck next week in the U.S. Open."

Cauley's triumph marks the culmination of a journey that once appeared unlikely to have such a happy ending.

Widely regarded as one of America's brightest young prospects after turning professional in 2011, Cauley recorded five top-15 finishes in his first 11 Tour starts and looked destined for a breakthrough victory.

Instead, his career was derailed by the devastating 2018 car crash, which left him with multiple serious injuries. 

Further health setbacks followed, and he was forced to spend extended periods away from competitive golf before beginning his comeback in 2024.

Now, eight years after the accident that nearly ended both his career and his life, Cauley is finally a PGA Tour champion.

Cauley opened the RBC Canadian Open with a 69 before rounds of 63, 66 and 65 carried him to 17-under-par, two shots clear of Fitzpatrick.

The win brings significant rewards. 

Cauley climbs to a career-best 40th in the Official World Golf Ranking, secures full PGA Tour status for the next two seasons, and earns places in both next week's U.S. Open and next month's Open Championship.

He also pockets $1.76m from the tournament's $9.8 million purse in Canada. 

For many players, a first PGA Tour title is a career milestone, but for Cauley, it represents something far greater — the completion of a remarkable comeback that few would have thought possible when he faced his toughest battle away from the golf course.