PGA Tour golfer Bud Cauley 'thankful to be alive' after car accident

PGA Tour golfer Bud Cauley is "thankful to be alive" after a car accident Friday night that left him hospitalized. 

Cauley suffered five broken right ribs, a collapsed right lung and a fractured lower left leg. He was a passenger in the car during the accident that occurred in Dublin, Ohio, according to Golf Channel.

"Friday was the scariest night of my life but I'm so thankful to be alive and only have the injuries I have," Cauley wrote on Instagram. "I have no timetable to return to the PGA Tour but I had a successful surgery yesterday and everyday is a step closer to competing again. In the meantime I'll use this time to reflect and get stronger."

Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis first reported the news. Golfweek confirmed the report with Cauley's representation at IMG. 

Justin Thomas, one of Cauley's good friends, visited Cauley in the hospital and said he was in good spirits.

“No offense to anything with the tournament, but I didn’t care to be here yesterday,” said Thomas, who shot 4-under 68 Saturday after spending most of the previous night in the hospital with Cauley. He also shot 68 Sunday to finish at 11 under.

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“I couldn’t stop thinking about it and thinking about him and I just really wanted to get done and go to the hospital. So I truly have no idea how I shot 4 under.”

The 28-year-old Cauley, who played at the University of Alabama, missed the cut at the Memorial after shooting 77-76. Ranked No. 136 in the world, Cauley has never won a PGA Tour event but has finished in the top 10 19 times in his career. 

He was scheduled to compete in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier Monday in Memphis but has withdrawn.

Casey writes for Golfweek, part of the USA TODAY Network.