Eight years, six broken ribs, one win.

PGA TOUR ^. RBC CANADIAN OPEN

Bud Cauley took the lead with a 93-foot birdie chip-in on the par-4 12th and held on to win the RBC Canadian Open. His first PGA Tour title in his 239th career start, eight years after a car accident left him with six broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a fractured left leg.

He closed with a 5-under 65 to finish at 17-under, two clear of Matt Fitzpatrick, who eagled the 18th to grab the FedEx Cup lead. Viktor Hovland was third. The win is worth $1.76 million and 500 FedEx Cup points, but the number that matters is 239. That's a lot of weeks believing it'll happen.

$1.76 million. 500 FedEx Cup points. Eight years in the making.

LIV GOLF ^. FUNDING CRISIS

Here's where LIV actually stands. Asked point-blank on CNBC whether the final four events of 2026 would happen, CEO Scott O'Neil dodged: "What I can guarantee is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business." That's not the answer you give when you're confident.

The PIF is pulling funding after 2026, and O'Neil is racing to raise up to $350 million for a leaner "LIV 2.0." Five meetings done, dozens more this summer. The 47-day gap before the next event in England isn't helping the optics. After $6 billion spent and zero profit, LIV is now pitching discipline. Quite a turn.

From $6 billion in spending to passing the hat. In four years.

LPGA TOUR ^. DOW CHAMPIONSHIP

Gina Kim and Yana Wilson closed with an 8-under 62 in best-ball to take the Dow Championship at Midland by two, the first LPGA title for both. They were Epson Tour finishing partners last year; Kim trusted Wilson under pressure and it paid off.

The charming subplot: 66-year-old Juli Inkster, paired with Angel Yin, became the oldest player in LPGA history to make a cut and tied for 12th. Nelly Korda, fresh off her U.S. Women's Open win, tied for 17th.

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LOOKING AHEAD

The year's third major heads to Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, June 18-21. Few setups punish a loose tee shot like Shinnecock's fescue and crosswinds. Names to watch: Scottie Scheffler (world No. 1 and not close), Rory McIlroy (who's already voiced concerns about the test), and Bryson DeChambeau, whose power game has thrived on big U.S. Open venues.

Every group has one: the guy who books the Airbnb, locks the tee times, and fronts the deposits, then spends the Sunday after the trip chasing Venmos. If that is you, or your dad, we built something for you.

The Golf Trip Planner is a premium spreadsheet (Google Sheets and Excel) that manages the roster, tee times, and lodging, then nets out who owes whom in the fewest payments possible. It formats the result into a clean card you screenshot straight into the group chat. There is even a transparent, opt-in "Organizer Comp" toggle. No spreadsheet wizardry required.

The launch price for RTD readers is $9.99. Get the Golf Trip Planner for $9.99, or forward this to the buddy who always ends up holding the receipts.

The headline upgrade on the Titleist GTS lineup is the rear weight on the GTS3, but GOLF's gear editor found the real story is the new Speed Sync face, an open horseshoe shape that keeps the top of the face flexing for faster ball speeds and tighter spin consistency. If you live high on the face like he does, the GT series punished you. The GTS doesn't. The GTS3 custom build runs $699, so don't buy it off the rack. Get fit or you're leaving the whole point on the table.

CCNC in Pinehurst closed its practice facilities June 8 for a $2 million renovation led by Kris Spence, the architect behind the club's 2016 Dogwood Course restoration. The work runs eight to 10 weeks: a single 125,000-square-foot tee deck (nearly three acres), four new target greens, an 80 percent larger short-game area, and a tee that tilts one percent to lower driver trajectory. Members are using Knollwood Fairways in Southern Pines in the meantime.

Charlotte native Jim Nantz was back in town to christen "The Nantz," a par-3 short course built into Pine Lake Country Club's existing routing. His parents were founding members. The grand opening raised $100K for First Tee Greater Charlotte, and a 4th-grader made the course's first ace. Think El Camino at Tobacco Road: discreet tee markers, bonus golf, family-friendly. A smart way to add value inside an existing footprint.

The Blue Devils landed three All-ACC selections: seniors Ethan Evans and William Love plus junior Bryan Kim. It's just the second time in program history Duke has produced three honorees in one season, and the first trio to each break a 71.1 scoring average. Kim set program records with 18 rounds in the 60s; Evans tied for 10th at the NCAA Championship, the best Duke finish there in 20 years. A loaded foundation for second-year coach Bob Heintz.

Carolina got two All-America selections: junior Niall Sheils Donegan (second team) and Pinehurst native freshman Carson Bertagnole (third team). Sheils Donegan posted a 69.91 scoring average, fourth-best in UNC history. Bertagnole, the second-highest-ranked freshman in the country, joins a list of Tar Heel freshman All-Americans that includes David Ford and a guy named Davis Love III back in 1983. The local pipeline is healthy.

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