On the PGA TOUR, Bud Cauley is in the lead. A few years ago, that might not have been likely.
After suffering severe injuries in an automobile accident in 2018, Cauley who is participating in a TOUR tournament for the first time in over 4.5 years shot a 6-under 65 on Friday at PGA National to grab the lead by one stroke after 36 holes of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Over his previous 27 holes, Cauley has 11 birdies and no bogeys. As night fell on Friday, he holed an 11-foot putt for birdie at the 18th par-5, shooting 11-under 131 to take the lead for the first time on the TOUR since the Valero Texas Open in 2017.
“I felt like my game was in a strong position, so I expected to show there and compete. Acting on a statement is not the same as saying it. I’m rather pleased with my performance. My game seems to be moving in the right direction, I believe. I simply needed some scoring opportunities to get going since I’ve been hitting the ball nicely.” Cauley said.
Garrick Higgo (65) and Austin Eckroat (67) fired back. Kevin Yu (67) and Victor Perez (66) shared a tie for fourth place at 9-under, while Shane Lowry, and the world’s No. 2 player, Rory McIlroy (67) shared a group three strokes back of the lead.
After the 2018 collision, Cauley broke six ribs, had additional injuries, and missed four months of TOUR play. For a few years, everything appeared good, but then it wasn’t. A number of issues surfaced, additional operations were required, bone had grown over the plates put in his ribs, and Cauley couldn’t help but worry if his greatest golfing days were behind him.
“I frequently believed that my professional life was ended. It’s good to be back here, performing well. The fact that I persisted and didn’t give up just makes me happier.” Cauley said.
He gained some momentum on the Korn Ferry Tour in January after finishing in the top 35 twice. He is currently in the running at PGA National after making the cut in his TOUR comeback at the WM Phoenix Open last month.
Only one of the top five players at the halfway mark is listed in the top 100: Perez is ranked 97th. Eckroat comes in at number 101.
“Generally speaking, solid, really stress-free golf. Simply excellent throughout.” Following his four-birdie, no bogey round, Eckroat told Golf Channel.
Not all of them had a day free from tension. With a score of 80, Thomas Detry missed the cut by 13 strokes and made headlines with his huge error on the par-4 sixth.
Detry had a birdie from 50 feet out. He made a six-putt, quadruple-bogey eight after knocking that putt about six feet past the hole, missing the par putt, missing a three-footer for bogey, missing a tap-in, missing another three-footer, and eventually tapping in.
After shooting 71 on Thursday, Rickie Fowler made the weekend with a 67.
“To ensure that I made it into the weekend, I had to shoot a respectable round.” Fowler said.
His opening hole was excellent.
At PGA National, the winner of 2017 began play on the back nine. The 10th par-5, which was played as a par 4 the previous year, is positioned for birdies. Fowler made a move that looked like an albatross; his 193-yard approach rolled just beyond the cup’s right corner and stopped near enough to offer him a tap-in eagle.
He was tied for 96th at the beginning of the first round, and on Friday, he was tied for 36th.
Chad Ramey, who was tied for the lead going into Friday, had a 72 to finish 6-under. The previous winner, Chris Kirk (70), easily made the cut at 5-under, sharing the lead with players like Nick Dunlap (67), Billy Horschel (71), and Matt Fitzpatrick (67). Dunlap’s 70-round round was capped off by an ace on the 7th par-3 hole.
Dunlap stated, “We assumed it went in because someone on the balcony of one of the houses screamed.”
Co-leader of the first round S.H. Kim played 74, 10 strokes poorer than on Thursday, to finish at 4-under.
