Bud Cauley Wins RBC Canadian Open in 239th Start for First PGA Tour Title

Q: What does Brooks Koepka's mysterious hand injury mean for his chances at the upcoming U.S. Open?

Brooks Koepka’s U.S. Open chances are now in serious doubt, and everything depends on whether doctors can quickly identify and calm the problem in the next few days. Koepka withdrew before the final round of the RBC Canadian Open after saying he could not properly grip the club because of numbness and looseness in his ring and pinkie fingers. He said he did not know the cause and had never felt anything like it before. During the third round, he also received treatment on his left arm and elbow, which suggests the issue may involve more than just the hand itself. That uncertainty is the biggest concern. A player can sometimes manage pain, but numbness and grip weakness are especially damaging in golf because they directly affect control, speed, and confidence through impact. If Koepka cannot hold the club normally, he is unlikely to contend, and he may not be able to start at all. The timing is especially significant because the U.S. Open begins next week at Shinnecock Hills, where Koepka won in 2018. His history there and his record as a two-time U.S. Open champion would normally make him a major threat. He had also shown encouraging form in Canada before the withdrawal, opening with 64 and 68. For now, Koepka remains in the field, but his status is uncertain. Unless the injury proves minor and responds quickly to treatment, his chances shift from contender to question mark.

3 articles · Updated · Golfweek · Jun 14

Bud Cauley closed with a 5-under 65 to finish at 17-under 263 and beat Matt Fitzpatrick by two shots at TPC Toronto.
Four birdies in a five-hole back-nine stretch broke open the final round, giving the 36-year-old his first PGA Tour victory after 239 starts.
Viktor Hovland finished third at 14-under, while Cauley completed a comeback arc eight years after a single-car accident derailed his career.
The win was worth $1.764 million from the $9.8 million purse and, as previously reported, secured Cauley spots in the U.S. Open and British Open.