Jeffrey Guan has made his return to golf almost a year after losing an eye in a tragic pro-am accident that nearly ended his promising career. The 21-year-old Australian, once regarded as one of golf’s brightest young prospects, is now preparing to compete in the NT PGA Championship.
How Guan Lost An Eye in Freak Accident
Guan was a highly rated junior talent and won the Australian Junior Championship two years in a row in 2021 and 2022. But his promising golf career took a dramatic turn after he suffered a freak accident during a pro-am in September 2024 that left him blind in his left eye. Guan played on a sponsor’s exemption at the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship in Napa and missed the cut by just one shot.
He returned to Australia to compete in a pro-am in New South Wales just a week after making his PGA Tour debut in Napa Valley. The then-20-year-old was hit in the face by a ball after an errant shot with a 3-wood by another player taking part in the pro-am.
Paramedics rushed him to Canberra for emergency eye surgery. He sustained multiple fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, the damage was severe. Doctors later transferred him to Sydney Eye Hospital for a second operation. Surgeons worked tirelessly to stabilize his condition, but they could not save his sight. Guan lost vision in his left eye permanently.
Guan Set to Compete At NT PGA Championship
Doctors told Guan that his recovery process could take up to a year. The physical injuries were only part of the challenge, as he faced weeks in intensive care followed by a long period of rehabilitation. He had to cope with the shock of losing his vision and the uncertainty about whether he would ever return to the sport he loved.
Australian Jeffrey Guan makes his professional return this week, 11 months after a pro-am partner’s shot caused him to lose his left eye.
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) August 27, 2025
Guan is now ready to compete again after eleven months out, with the PGA Tour of Australasia granting him a medical exemption. The 21-year-old will make his comeback at the Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship at Palmerston Golf Course in Australia’s Northern Territory.
“I shot four under at The Australian GC, and I’d hit the green in two on 18,” Guan said.. “It was an easier feeling being on the green and already under par. It was cool. Playing at The Australian GC has been surreal, honestly; there’s so much support and people just encouraging me to keep going…Coming back from that 12-month process and escalating slowly, to driving in a car and then slowly chipping and putting was probably the hardest process. Within those months, I couldn’t do anything and, mentally, I wasn’t feeling too great.”
Guan’s return is more than just a comeback—it’s a testament to resilience and determination. Despite the life-changing accident, he is proving that nothing can keep him away from the game he loves.
Main Photo Credit: © Garry Smits/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
