Italian golfer survives falling three stories

Andrea Pavan, a well-known Italian golfer, was seriously injured in a freak accident in the Western Cape on Wednesday.

Pavan (36), who was in the Mother City for the Investec South African Open, fell three floors down an open lift shaft after the doors opened without the lift unit there.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the player’s private residence near the Stellenbosch Golf Club. According to eyewitnesses, he called the elevator and, when the doors opened, simply walked forward. However, he didn’t realize that the elevator itself wasn’t there yet and fell several floors far down.

The news was first reported by golf journalist Ryan French via Monday Q Info on the platform X and has since been verified by The Athletic. Pavan, who is currently ranked 249th in the world, was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he has already undergone urgent surgery.

Although the DP World Tour confirmed that he had to withdraw from the tournament, the organization was reluctant to share specific details about the nature of the accident. A spokesperson said that Pavan had withdrawn due to injury, but added that they were “unable to share any further details about the incident at this stage due to medical confidentiality”.

Just a repair pad

Matt Van Zandt, a former college teammate of Pavan’s, later disclosed the extent of the injuries and launched a GoFundMe effort to support Pavan’s wife, Audra, and their three children with the large medical expenses that await. According to the page, contributions worth more than $27,000 have already been received.

According to the information on the fundraising page, Pavan’s injuries are extensive.

“Andrea was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries to his shoulder and back, including several spinal vertebrae that were damaged. He has already undergone at least one major operation and will require further medical care and procedures. It is expected that he will have to stay in South Africa for weeks before he can safely travel back to the US.”

The money raised will not only cover the hospital expenses, but also help with the “extended stay in South Africa, transport back home to the Dallas area, ongoing medical care and hopefully a little extra to ease the uncertainty about his professional golfing future”.

‘Grateful to be alive’

Despite the trauma and pain, it seems that Pavan’s spirit remains strong. JT Higgins, his former college coach, told Golfchannel.com that Pavan is already in contact with his family.

“According to all indications, he is cleared, grateful to be alive and he is already FaceTime with his children. It is a thriller of a situation, but he is a fighter and his focus right now is only on his family and his recovery,” said Higgins.

His friends and colleagues on the golf course also stand behind him. English golfer Marco Penge expressed his support on social media.

“This is terrible news. I send all my love to Andrea and his family. He is a fantastic person and the whole golf community thinks of him.”

According to Van Zandt, several teammates have already visited him in the hospital, and it is reported that he remains positive despite the incident.

Pavan entered the professional ranks in 2010 and has since established himself as a formidable competitor, with eight victories worldwide. His biggest moment came in 2019 when he defeated Matt Fitzpatrick to win the BMW International Open in Munich.

He has also shown his mettle in three Major tournaments, including the US Open in 2014 and 2025 and the British Open in 2019.

Bron: The Athletic, BBC