Australian golfing prodigy suffers career-threatening injury in freak accident

One of Australia’s best young golfers has suffered career-threatening injuries after he was hit in the head by a ball in a freak accident on the NSW south coast.

Jeff Guan, who only last week made his debut on the lucrative PGA Tour, suffered severe facial injuries after a ball hit by a Pro-Am partner smashed into his face at Club Catalina in Batemans Bay on Friday.

Jeff Guan was the only Australian to represent the International team in the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup.Credit: Edwina Pickles

Paramedics rushed to the scene to treat Guan, who was later airlifted to a hospital in Canberra. He has since undergone surgery on an eye.

Guan, 20, who is ranked 989 in the world and is considered by some experts as the country’s most exciting prospect since Cameron Smith, was at a NSW Open regional qualifying event when the incident happened.

Pro-Am events regularly involve social golfers of all abilities, and at major tournaments players range from celebrities and sports stars to sponsors being invited to play alongside professionals in a relaxed format.

“Just before 2pm we responded to reports a man in his 20s had been hit in the head with a golf ball,” a NSW Ambulance spokesperson said. “We treated the man for a head injury and he was taken to Moruya District Hospital.”

Guan secured his first start on the lucrative PGA Tour in the Procore Championship in California last week through a sponsor invitation, only just missing the cut after a pleasing performance, backing up top-25 finishes in both the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open last year as a teenager.

He had only recently signed with global sports agency Sportfive, which manages megastars Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson among their clients.

Sportfive confirmed to this masthead Guan suffered the horrific injury as a result of an errant shot.

In a joint statement on Saturday, PGA of Australia and Golf NSW said: “The PGA of Australia, Golf NSW and Golf Australia wish to thank everyone who assisted Jeff following the incident and wish him all the best with his recovery.

“We would ask people to respect the family’s privacy at this time, and we will endeavour to provide updates on his condition in due course.”

Guan turned professional in 2023 and was even rewarded with the Cameron Smith scholarship, where he spent time with Australia’s British Open winner as part of a program where Smith helps some of the country’s best young talent.

Guan was the only Australian to represent the International team in the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup, and won the amateur version of The Players Championship at the famous TPC Sawgrass layout.

In an interview with this masthead in 2022, Guan said: “To represent your country is a privilege and to play in a high-level event, it gives you more experience to go towards the target you want to reach, which is to play professionally.

“That’s a really big stepping stone where I can learn from players all around the world, as well as the pros we get to watch.”

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