Blinded in one eye but facing McIlroy in Australia

Jeff Guan was advancing progressively up the professional golf ladder.

Guan, a two-time Australian amateur champion, had signed with the same management company as Spanish superstar Jon Rahm and made his PGA Tour debut there.

The next step was to become eligible for a card on the DP World Tour. Then his ascent to the top of the table was squandered.

Guan was permanently blind in his left eye after being hit in the face by a stray ball at a Pro-Am event a week after making his US debut in September 2024.

The Sydney-born 21-year-old caps a remarkable comeback this week. He and Masters champion Rory McIlroy, as well as Australian major winners Adam Scott and Cameron Smith, form a strong field at the Australian Open, the crown jewel of the country’s golfing summer.

It’s so exciting to compete in these events, especially with so many DP World Tour pros visiting Australia, Guan told BBC Sport.

“It will be interesting to see where I’m on the field and how my game is doing.”

The young player feared he would never be able to swing a club again after the devastating incident at the Catalina Club in New South Wales.

Guan headed toward a buggy to retrieve the iron after making his second shot from the third fairway. He was struck a second time.

He recalled that after falling to the ground, I could feel a throbbing pain in my left-hand side.

A CT scan revealed Guan would need surgery on his broken eye socket right away, so he was quickly taken to a hospital in Canberra.

He was moved to Sydney Eye Hospital for a second operation the following day, where he spent two weeks in intensive care.

To control the eye pressure and stop any particles from entering the room when Guan was allowed to return home, doctors insisted that he stay in his room.

Sometimes he had trouble falling asleep. Other than his golf clubs, he was unable to bear to look at them.

“My entire life, I’ve always loved golf,” he said. So having it all of a sudden removed made it mentally difficult, Guan said, who was informed that he would lose that eye in a few days.

Guan recalls the rehabilitation process as a series of “little steps” on the long road to the golf course.

He picked up clubs for the first time with gentle chipping and putting three months after the second operation.

He had to work up the bag slowly, and he was hitting full swings with the driver about three months later.

“Wow, my clubs are so long,” Guan said at first.

I wanted to stand way too tall, and I hadn’t played for six months because I wanted to be so awkward.

I had no idea if I would ever be able to play again, but as the sessions progressed and I started working on my technique, I started seeing results.

Guan’s right eye rehabilitation program included a number of vision-training exercises and a game console, which experts encouraged him to play.

The rehabilitation process has gotten more enjoyable with the addition of online rivals like in Call of Duty, Fortnite, Rainbow 6, Siege, and Marvel Rivals.

Playing from the bunkers, where he would be penalized for grounding his club, is now particularly challenging due to the change in his depth perception.

Important advice was provided by visually impaired golfers from all over the world who reached out to Guan via social media after learning his story.

His sand game has improved since he started using his right eye to block out peripheral objects and the sun’s shadow to indicate where his club is.

Guan discovered that his greens reading was “atrocious” when he began to put.

Guan quickly adopted a technique that has been used by many golfers to improve putting accuracy, even when there are steep breaks.

To confirm what I’m seeing, he said, “I’ve started learning Aimpoint, where you stand over the second third of the putt and feel how big the slope is with your feet.”

Guan made the decision to step up his professional ranks after putting in more time into his daily practice with Gary Barter, a renowned Australian golf club, with his long-time coach.

I was 50-50 if I should take a year off, he said, despite the fact that training and practice were going well.

I’m given a medical [exemption] for two years, but after talking to my team and my parents, I decided two years without playing golf was too much.

Guan wears a prosthetic cover over his eye while playing to “feel” completely self-assured in front of others.

After carding rounds of 74 and 73, he made his first appearance at the Northern Territory PGA Championship in August.

He won the Western Australia PGA Championship a fortnight later, finishing in 10th place on the final day with a 66.

Guan claims that self-motivation helped him recover, but that the golfing world’s unwavering support has given him even more motivation.

A recent video message from Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, who Guan refers to as an “idol,” provided a particular source of inspiration.

Guan has a sneaky idea of playing alongside the Englishman in the future, even though Fleetwood won’t participate in the Australian Open.

I’d like to participate in the DP Tour or PGA Tour, but for the time being, he said, “I’m just focusing on the Aussie schedule and playing my way up.”