Australian rising golf star loses eyesight after accident

SYDNEY, Australia — An Australian rising golfer who made his debut on the U.S. PGA Tour last month vowed to continue playing despite losing his sight in one eye after a freak accident on the course.

Jeffrey Guan, 20, was hit in the face by a ball during a tournament south of Sydney in late September, suffering a serious fracture to his left cheekbone and eye socket.

The PGA of Australia revealed that he had “permanently lost the sight in his left eye”.

In his first statement since the accident, Guan – a former Australian junior amateur champion like Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith – said he was “utterly distraught”.

“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.

“These four weeks have been the hardest of my life,” he added. “But I am mentally stronger and will be ready to overcome any obstacle in the future.

“I’ll be back.”

Before the accident, Guan had signed with the same management company that major winners Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson boast.

He received a sponsor invitation to the PGA Tour Procore Championship in California, where he hit a 69 and 75 to narrowly miss the cut.