A defiant but devastated Jeffrey Guan is refusing to give up on his golfing dreams despite being blinded in one eye by a freak on-course accident.
A former Australian junior amateur champion like Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith, Guan has opened up for the first time since his world came crashing down barely a month ago.
The prodigious talent has detailed the despair and torment of the life-changing mishap that came just a week after making his US PGA debut in California.
The 20-year-old required emergency surgery in Canberra after suffering a serious fracture to his left cheekbone and eye socket when struck by a ball during a NSW Open regional qualifying pro-am on September 20.
After playing his second shot on the third hole, Guan turned toward his cart to put his club away when disaster struck.
“The instant ringing and pain rushed to my head, and I dropped to the ground,” he recalled.
“I had my first surgery that night. I was in unbearable pain, and anxiety about my future was swirling in my mind.
“A day later, I was transferred to the Sydney Eye Hospital to undergo another surgery, more tests and further treatment.
“The best eye specialists and nurses were arranged for my immediate appointment.
“After the second surgery, I spent the next two weeks in intensive care. This stay was critical to make sure my eyeball was stable.
“My eye pressure was way too high to be in any state of ordinary, and I had lost vision completely in my left eye.
“I couldn’t do much. Sleeping was difficult, let alone walking or eating. Any activity that required energy meant I was in excruciating pain.”
Doctors have told Guan not to even think about swinging a golf club for at least six months.
“During my nights in hospital, I almost drowned in thoughts about the injury and my future in the sport,” he said.
“Not only was I utterly distraught by the news I had received, but the whole situation made me very depressed and somewhat angry.
“As you can imagine, this whole situation not only came at a tremendous cost but has also significantly affected me and my family emotionally and mentally.
“The thought of all my years of hard work and training, plus my family’s sacrifice, had just been thrown out the window.
“The frustration is unbearable. Why did this happen? How in the world am I supposed to recover, return, and be the same player I was, or even better?
“I had no idea. I was devastated and felt so lost.”
Yet Guan, the only player other than Ryan Ruffels since the great Scott in 1997-98 to successfully defend their Australian junior amateur championship, is vowing to play on.
“As a kid, I have always had a lot of perseverance and persistence,” he said.
“I will continue to work hard and do my best to achieve my dream.
“These four weeks have been the toughest of my life, but I am stronger mentally and will be ready to conquer any obstacle in the future.
“I will be back.”
AAP