Andrea Pavan hospitalized after falling down an elevator shaft in a freak accident

Professional golfer Andrea Pavan withdrew from the DP World Tour’s Investec South African Open due to injuries sustained in a freak elevator accident.

Pavan, 36, was hospitalized and “grateful to be alive” after he fell down an elevator shaft at the building he was staying in near Cape Town, South Africa, for the tournament, according to Q Info on Monday.

“By all accounts, he’s in good spirits, grateful to be alive and FaceTiming with his kids,” Pavan’s former Texas A&M coach, JT Higgins, told the Golf Channel. Higgins had not yet spoken to Pavan, but he was being updated on his condition.

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Golf Channel learned through sources in Pavan’s inner circle that the golfer had requested an elevator in the building where he lived. But when the elevator doors opened, no cab had come up.

Pavan didn’t realize it when he stepped through the doors and fell three floors below.

Pavan sustained multiple injuries, including to his back and shoulder. He underwent “extensive operations” on Wednesday night to repair the damage.

Andrea Pavan of Italy tees off on the sixth hole during the first round of the Qatar Masters 2026 golf tournament at Doha Golf Club in Doha, Qatar on February 5, 2026. (Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto)

No known recovery timeline for Pavan has been released.

The Italian golfer has eight professional victories in his career, including two on the DP World Tour. His most recent was in 2019 when he took home the BMW International Open.

Pavan defeated PGA Tour regular Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at the event.

Andrea Pavan of Italy tees off on the 16th hole of the 2026 Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club on February 6, 2026 in Doha, Qatar. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

During this season, Pavan has achieved two top 15 finishes, including a tie for ninth at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship earlier this month.

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