Justin Thomas pays tribute to best friend on PGA Tour after 'terrible, terrible' incident

Justin Thomas says it's 'only a matter of time' before Bud Cauley steps into the winner's circle on the PGA Tour. 

Cauley experienced a significant setback in his career seven years ago when he was involved in a severe car accident. 

The American was making his way back home after he missed the cut at the Memorial when he was involved in the smash. 

He suffered six broken ribs, a fractured left leg and a collapsed right lung. 

Cauley thought his career was over but he fought through the adversity and has managed to get himself into the field for signature event at Muirfield Village this week. 

Thomas paid tribute to Cauley's resiliency in his news conference on Wednesday ahead of the PGA Tour stop hosted by Jack Nicklaus. 

"I'm so excited for him," Thomas said of Cauley. "He's so good and so talented. 

"He's got one of those games that can just play out here for so long and can win out here, and I think he's showing that this year. 

"And he's just putting himself there more and more, which I think, for him, has probably been the biggest hurdle is that it has been a career full of injuries to where he hasn't consistently been able to do that to feel comfortable, to get it done when he gets there.

"He's doing that this year, so I think it's just a matter of time. But he's playing great and, yeah, back to, you know, the incident here was awful."

Cauley has only missed one cut this year and has also racked up four top 10 finishes.

His performance at the RBC Heritage - which Thomas won - ensured that he got into the field this week via the AON Next 10 standings. 

Thomas added: "I'm so happy he's not just playing again, but playing well, because he's one of my best friends in the world and it was a terrible, terrible night and week."

Justin Thomas also not a fan of long par-3s

Before the Memorial began, Viktor Hovland explained he is not a fan of the growing trend of having long par-3s in elite professional golf. 

When the U.S. Open heads to Oakmont in a few weeks' time, competitors in the field will have to deal with the prospect of playing the longest par-3 in the major's history. 

The 8th hole is 299 yards. 

Thomas told reporters that he went to Oakmont on Tuesday. 

"I would say all of the rumours and everything are pretty on point," Thomas said.  

"Yeah, I couldn't tell you a par-3 over 250 yards that's good, I would say, architecturally."

Thomas said it's not his favourite hole in the world. 

But he added: "Everyone's going to have to play the same hole and going to have to execute the same shots, and I would love four threes on it right now if I could take it."