Australian golfer faces vision loss after Pro-Am accident

An unfortunate accident during a Pro-Am tournament forces doctors to fight to save the eyesight of a professional golfer.

Jeffrey Guan, a 20-year-old budding talent from Australia, suffered a serious eye injury during a pro-am event Friday at Club Catalina in Batemans Bay, New South Wales. Guan, who had just returned to Australia after making his PGA Tour debut at the Procore Championship in Napa, California, was struck in the eye by a golf ball and taken to a local hospital before being flown to an ophthalmologist in Cranberry, according to a statement from the PGA Tour of Australasia.

“Just before 2pm we received a report that a man in his 20s had been struck in the head by a golf ball,” a New South Wales Ambulance Service spokesman said. Sydney Morning Herald“We treated the man for a head injury and took him to Moruya District Hospital.”

Australian Golf Shortcutinterviewed by Guan’s longtime coach, Paul Davis, who said Guan suffered multiple fractures to his eye socket after an errant tee shot by an amateur player competing in a pro-am tournament.

“There are of course concerns that he may lose some of his vision, but we won’t know exactly how much until he goes to Sydney for further tests,” Davis said. Australian Golf Shortcut“It’s really awful. This was the first pro-am tournament Jeff has ever played. This is just the worst possible news after such an amazing week in California.”

The report did not specify which eye was damaged.

Guan was a decorated junior player whose highlights included winning the 2022 AJGA Junior Players at TPC Sawgrass and later that year representing Australia in the Junior Presidents Cup. He turned professional last fall and has seven top-25 finishes, including last year’s Australian PGA and Australian Open, competing primarily on the PGA Tour of Australasia. He is currently ranked 989th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

The pro-am tournament was part of the NSW Open Golf Regional Qualifying Series.