That's why, in his opinion, the tale of Matthew Lane is noteworthy. Lane, a Nike Tour player from Wellington, New Zealand, made his first start in six weeks June 6 at the Nike Cleveland Open at Quail Hollow Resort and Country Club after undergoing a cornea transplant in his right eye. Lane was born with an irregularly shaped cornea, a hereditary condition that left him with 20-400 vision. The surgery was performed by Los Angeles doctor John Haufbauer May 1. Lane, playing with 27 stitches holding his cornea in place, was cleared by Haufbauer to hit balls May 31 and teed it up in Cleveland with his sight upgraded to 20-50.
Contours are still a problem.
It was frustrating, but I know it's going to take some time before it makes a real difference. That Lane has achieved success in golf with such limited vision is an eye-opener. He played on the AustralAsian and Canadian tours from 1991 to '94 before joining the Nike Tour in 1995. Eventually, Lane said, his vision will become 20-20. I have a whole new outlook . . .