[Photo: Andrew Redington]
Andrea Pavan knows from overcoming challenges on the golf course; the two-time DP World Tour winner once missed 24 cuts during an 27-event stretch, eventually losing his card only to reclaim it later. Now he faces a far more serious off-the-course challenges as the 36-year-old Italian tries to recover from injuries suffered in a fluke accident ahead of this week’s DP World Tour event.
RELATED: DP World Tour winner Andrea Pavan injured in freak off-course accident
Pavan was scheduled to play in the Investec South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club, where the winner earns an invite to the Masters and the top three players not already qualified for the Open Championship earn exemptions for Royal Birkdale. But on Wednesday, Pavan had to withdraw from the event after falling down an elevator shaft at his private accommodation. As first reported by Any Given Monday’s Ryan French, Pavan thought he was walking into the elevator car when the doors opened only it wasn’t there. Reports said he fell several floors. He was taken to a hospital and required several hours of surgery on his shoulder and back.
Overnight, Pavan released a statement thanking fans for their support as news circulated about his freak accident as he continued to recover in the hospital.
“The last two days have been difficult,” Pavan said in the statement, “but I am in very good hands and to have so many players, caddies and staff visit and contact me has meant a lot to me.”
Statement on behalf of Andrea Pavan. pic.twitter.com/uYA0UusQeE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 27, 2026
Pavan did not specify the extent of his injuries, other than to acknowledge “I now have a lot of rehab and hard work ahead of me”. Golf Channel reported that Pavan is expected to remain in South Africa for several weeks before being able to travel back. It also reported that due to anticipated medical expenses, a GoFundMe page has been set up for Pavan.
Pavan thanked the staff at the Mediclinic hospital where he was treated as well as officials with the DP World Tour, Sunshine Tour (co-sanctioning host of the event) and staff at Stellenbosch.
“Grazie mille everyone, from me, my wife Audra, and my entire family.”
Ranked 249th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Pavan had started the 2026 DP World Tour season with two top-15 finishes in five starts. The last of his two DP World Tour victories came in 2019 when he defeated Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff to win the BMW International Open. He also is a five-time winner on the Challenge Tour and played college golf in the US at Texas A&M, where he was a member of the 2009 Aggies team that won the NCAA Championship.