After finishing his junior year at Alabama, Cauley qualified for the 2011 U.S. Open and decided to turn professional, foregoing his senior season. Cauley did not miss a cut in the first four PGA Tour events he played, which included a T4 at the Viking Classic. He also finished T4 at the Nationwide Tour's Utah Championship. Cauley made the cut at the 2011 U.S. Open, finishing T63 and guaranteeing a bypass to the second stage of Q School.