Rising golfer almost loses an eye due to a wayward ball in a bizarre accident

A young golfer from Australia who almost lost his eye after a freak accident tells how his life (and career) has changed now that he is blind in one eye.

Jeff Guan, 20, said he suffered “excruciating pain” when he was hit by a stray golf ball while competing in a pro-am tournament in September.

“The immediate ringing and pain shot to my head and I fell to the ground. The voices sounded quite muffled, and before I knew it, I was in an ambulance being transported to a hospital with skin patches containing high doses of fentanyl,” Guan said in a statement. Sydney Morning Herald.

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There he spent weeks in intensive care due to the severity of his injuries. Medical officials say it will take a year for Guan to fully recover, and he won’t be able to use a golf club for at least six months. According to the outlet, he still has no vision returned in his left eye.

During his stay in the hospital and now five weeks afterward, Guan said many thoughts about his golfing future went through his mind.

“During my nights in the hospital, I was almost drowning in thoughts about the injury and my future in the sport. Not only was I completely distraught by the news I had received, but the whole situation also made me very depressed and somewhat angry,” said Guan. Sydney Morning Herald.

“Worries about my future haunted my mind. I was completely desperate. It has come at a huge cost and has affected me and my family significantly. 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 felt so devastated and lost,” he added.

Despite his potentially permanent injury, Guan said he is not angry at the person responsible for his accident – ​​and so far he has not spoken to them.

“They contacted Golf NSW and Golf Australia while I was in hospital but I wasn’t in contact with anyone at the time. I don’t blame anyone at all. It was just a freak accident,” he said.

Hopeful that his golf career will resume, Guan said that if playing the sport is no longer in his future, coaching might be an alternative.

“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,” Guan said.