Jeffrey Guan vows to keep going after being blinded by a strange hit on course

A defiant but devastated Jeffrey Guan refuses to give up his golf dreams, despite being blinded in one eye by a freak on-course accident.

Guan, a former Australian junior amateur champion like Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith, has opened up for the first time since his world collapsed just a month ago.

The prodigious talent has detailed the despair and torment of the life-changing accident that occurred in California just a week after his US PGA debut.

The 20-year-old had to undergo emergency surgery in Canberra after suffering a serious fracture to his left cheekbone and eye socket when he was hit by a ball during a NSW Open regional qualifying pro-am on September 20.

After playing his second shot on the third hole, Guan turned to his cart to put away his club when disaster struck.

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

“I had my first operation that evening. I was in excruciating pain and worries about my future haunted my mind.

“A day later I was transferred to Sydney Eye Hospital to undergo another operation, more tests and further treatment.

“The best eye specialists and nurses were arranged for my immediate appointment.

“After the second operation, I spent the next two weeks in intensive care. This stay was crucial to ensure that my eyeball was stable.

“My eye pressure was far too high to be in a normal state, and I had completely lost the vision in my left eye.

“I couldn’t do much. Sleeping was difficult, let alone walking or eating. Any activity that required energy left me in excruciating pain.”

Doctors have told Guan not to even think about swinging a golf club for the next six months.

“During my nights in the hospital, I was almost drowning in thoughts about the injury and my future in the sport,” he said.

‘Not only was I completely distraught by the news I had received, but the whole situation made me very depressed and somewhat angry.

“As you can imagine, this entire situation has not only incurred enormous costs, but has also significantly affected me and my family emotionally and mentally.

“The thought of all my years of hard work and training, plus the sacrifice of my family, had just been thrown out the window.

“The frustration is unbearable. Why did this happen? How on earth am I supposed to recover, come back and be the same player I was, or even better?”

“I had no idea. I was devastated and felt so lost.”

Yet Guan, the only player besides Ryan Ruffels since the great Scott in 1997-98 to successfully defend his Australian Junior Amateur Championship, vows to play on.

“I always had a lot of grit and perseverance as a kid,” he said.

“I will continue to work hard and do my best to achieve my dream.

“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.

“I’ll be back.”

MONKEY