Jeffrey Guan: Australian golfer goes blind in one eye in a freak accident shortly after his PGA Tour debut

Australian golfer Jeffrey Guan has lost the sight in his left eye after being hit by a ball in a freak accident during a pro-am tournament last month.

The incident happened a week after the 20-year-old made his debut on the PGA Tour.

Guan underwent surgery in New South Wales and spent two weeks in intensive care after being transferred to Sydney for a second operation.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the accident, he revealed that doctors said it is unlikely he will ever regain the sight in his eyes.

Nevertheless, Guan – who has been playing professionally for a year – is aiming for a return to the elite level of the game.

“As a child, I always had a lot of perseverance and perseverance. I will continue to work hard and do my best to achieve my dream,” Guan wrote in a statement.

“I’ll be back.”

Guan is a two-time Australian Junior Amateur champion and follows in the footsteps of major champions Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith by winning the title.

He then realized a long-held dream by making his PGA Tour debut at the Procore Championship in California, playing in a field that included American Ryder Cup pair Wyndham Clark and Max Homa, plus England’s former Masters champion Danny Willett .

Guan had recently signed a deal with sports agency Sportfive, which also represents Spanish former world number one Jon Rahm.

A week after his Tour debut he was back in New South Wales playing pro-am at Catalina Club – where the unthinkable happened.

After hitting his second shot from the third fairway, Guan turned to his buggy to put the iron back in his bag.

“That was when I was beaten,” Guan said.

“The immediate ringing and pain shot to my head and I fell to the ground.”

Guan said there has been “very little good news” in the four weeks since the incident.

He revealed the extent of the damage on Thursday after receiving a full assessment from eye specialists.

“These four weeks have been the toughest of my life, but I am mentally stronger and will be ready to overcome any obstacle in the future,” he added.