Freak accident during pro-am has young Aussie golfer fighting for his eyesight

Jeffrey Guan, a promising 20-year-old from Australia who recently made his PGA Tour debut, may lose his sight in one eye after a freak accident at a pro-am.

He suffered the injury during a pro-am event Friday at Club Cataline in Batemans Bay, New South Wales. He was struck in the eye, though reports don’t specify which one, and transported to a hospital before being airlifted to an eye specialist in Cranberra, according to the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Last week, Guan made his PGA Tour debut at the Procore Championship, missing the cut.

Australian Golf Digest spoke to Guan’s longtime coach, Paul Davis, who said Guan suffered orbital fractures.

“Obviously there are fears he may lose some vision, but we won’t know the full extent until he goes to Sydney for further assessment,” Davis said. “It’s truly awful. This was actually the first pro-am Jeff has ever played in.

“It’s just the worst possible news after such an amazing week in California.”

Guan turned pro last fall, but one of his junior highlights was winning the 2022 AJGA Junior Players at TPC Sawgrass and representing Australia on the Junior Presidents Cup team the same year.