Rising golf star Jeff Guan on road to recovery after shock Pro-Am accident

He’s lost sight in one eye after a freak on-course accident last year, but rising golfer Jeff Guan has been assured there’s a path back to the pro ranks when he’s ready.

A path for Jeff Guan’s potential return to professional golf has been cleared after the young star was advised he would be given a medical exemption for a life-changing freak accident in which he has lost sight in one eye.

Guan, rated as one of Australia’s best prospects since Cameron Smith, has informally started hitting a small number golf balls again – just four months after his world turned upside down when struck by a shot from a playing partner in a Pro-Am event.

He’s yet to make a decision on whether he will be able to resume his professional career, but the PGA Tour of Australasia has already notified the former junior star he will be given access to starts on the local tour.

Young Australian golfer Jeff Guan has been assured there’s a path back to the professional ranks for him despite losing sight in one eye after being hit by a golf ball in the eye at a Pro Am event in September. Photo: David Tease/Golf NSW.

Guan had only just made his debut on the rich PGA Tour in the United States through a sponsor’s invite the week before his accident in September, when a ball hit by an amateur playing in his Pro-Am group smashed into his eye during an event on the NSW south coast.

He has been able to regain sight in the left eye yet.

His playing status at the time was largely confined to the PGA Tour of Australasia, which hosts events all across Australia as well as in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, providing a path to the larger global circuits such as the DP World Tour.

But being unable to complete the current schedule and accrue points to keep his card for next season, local officials have confirmed Guan will be able to tee it up again on a medical exemption, if and when he is ready.

It will be a massive relief for the former junior Presidents Cup player, who was a former winner of an annual scholarship presented by Smith. The British Open champion hosted Guan at his Florida base for a week.

“We look forward to welcoming Jeff back to the Challenger PGA Tour Australasia whenever he is ready to return to professional golf,” said Nick Dastey, general manager of tournaments and global tour relationships for PGA of Australia.

“We continue to wish Jeff all the best with his recovery and support him in any small way we can while he is on this tough road.”

Jeff Guan of Australia tees off at the third hole during the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships - Eisenhower Trophy at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in 2023. Photo: Getty Images

In an interview with News Corp after his injury, Guan described the pain as “excruciating” after being hit, later undergoing a series of operations as surgeons tried to save his eyeball.

“It happened so quickly,” he said. “The next thing I remember I was on the ground. Then I heard the ambulances coming. I couldn’t even know exactly where the pain was. I just knew it was coming from the top left hand side of my head.

“That whole night, I was just hoping the pain would go away. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

An Australian Sports Foundation page has already raised $50,000 to help Guan’s recovery.

Guan had already reached a world ranking of 874 despite being in the early stages of his professional career, and only narrowly missed the cut on his PGA Tour debut despite a dash to make it to California for the event.

He showed his enormous talent when finishing tied 18th and 21st in the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open respectively as a teenager in 2023.

Originally published as Rising golf star Jeff Guan on road to recovery after shock Pro-Am accident