Dayton Price survived a devastating car crash in March 2022 that tragically killed his coach and six teammates. The rising Canadian golf star described the pain as indescribable. Three months of waking up knowing he’d be taken to “that room” to be rebandaged. No skin on his legs, just raw burns covering 50% of his body. “It was torture to be honest with you,” he told Monday Q Info. “It was pain that I cannot describe… something I don’t wish upon anybody.” Yet somehow, in the midst of that hell, he was already plotting his return.

Two months after doctors told him there was “little chance” he’d ever play competitive golf again, everything changed. Golf Canada invited him to attend the 2022 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club, where he watched Rory McIlroy claim victory.

“I watched Rory McIlroy win, and I thought, this is going to be one hell of a story because I’m going to get out of here one day,” Price said from his hospital bed. That moment paved the way for a comeback that began with a single spark of hope, but it was born out of unimaginable loss.

March 15, 2022, was the day that changed everything. A Dodge 2500 pickup truck crossed into the northbound lane on FM 1788 near Andrews, Texas. The driver, 38-year-old Henrich Siemens, had methamphetamine in his system. He collided head-on with the Ford Transit van carrying the University of the Southwest golf teams. Both vehicles erupted in flames.

The crash claimed nine lives, including six of Price’s teammates, Mauricio Sanchez, Travis Garcia, Jackson Zinn, Karisa Raines, Laci Stone, and Tiago Sousa, and their coach, Tyler James. The truck driver, Henrich Siemens, and his 13-year-old passenger also died. Only two survived: Price and fellow Canadian Hayden Underhill.

Thrown 65 feet from the burning van, Price suffered severe burns on nearly half his body. Doctors prepared to amputate both legs, but his father, Darren, refused to give up. Through experimental treatments, they managed to save them.

Price spent 86 days hospitalized, most of them in the ICU Burn Unit. His family rushed 1,600 miles from Mississauga, Ontario, to Texas, living at the Ronald McDonald House in Lubbock for three months. Career-threatening injuries have challenged many golfers, but watching McIlroy’s victory gave Price something concrete to chase. Fast forward to October 2025. Today, Price plays for Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario.

At the Windsor Invitational, he recently shot 63, eight under par. The round shattered Laurier’s program record. He won his third college tournament of the season. While reflecting on the achievement, Price credited a mental shift.

“Two or three tournaments prior, I was four under through seven and just like losing it… I ended up shooting 74,” he recalled. That Sunday at Windsor changed everything. “That was the first time I was really low where I was kind of in a state where it was just like okay next shot, next shot.”

McIlroy’s 2025 Masters victory reinforced Price’s resolve. After an 11-year major championship drought, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam. He delivered an emotional message to his daughter, Poppy, “Never give up on your dreams. Never, ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back, keep working hard, and if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

Dayton Price honors lost teammates through golf

Even today, Price carries his teammates with him every time he steps on the course. “As I go on with my life, those people will always be right beside me. Golf feels like a way I can carry on their legacies,” he explains.

He founded Price Strong, a nonprofit that supports burn survivors and their families, partnering with hospitals and organizations like Ronald McDonald House to aid recovery.

The parents of his deceased teammates follow his journey closely, living vicariously through his successes. Price is scheduled for his 27th and 28th surgeries after the golf season ends, yet his determination remains unshaken.

“There’s no way I don’t play professional golf after what happened. There’s no quit in me, and there’s not going to be. For myself, but also for my teammates and my coach,” Price declared. “It’s going to be pretty tough to stop me and seven other people.”

From near-death to breaking records, Price refuses to be defined by tragedy. Every round he plays and every life he touches through Price Strong proves one thing: he is unstoppable.