Wild: Italian pro golfer Andrea Pavan severely injured after 3 stories down an elevator shaft in South Africa

Drew Smith
February 27, 2026
Golf
0 Comments

This is a genuinely terrifying story and the fact that Andrea Pavan is alive to tell it is remarkable.

Andrea Pavan, a two-time DP World Tour winner, was at his lodging near Cape Town in the Stellenbosch area of South Africa on Wednesday when he stepped through elevator doors expecting the car to be there. It was not.

He fell three stories down the open shaft and was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he underwent at least one major surgery to address significant injuries.

Andrea Pavan, 2-time DP winner was badly injured in a freak accident

Some horrible news from the DP event in South Africa.

Andrea Pavan, 2-time DP winner was badly injured in a freak accident at this week’s event.

According to multiple people Pavan fell down an elevator shaft after the doors opened on the floor he was on but the car itself…
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) February 26, 2026

Somehow, despite all of that, the early reports on his condition carry a note of genuine relief. His former Texas A&M coach J.T. Higgins, who was being updated on the situation, said that Pavan is in good spirits, thankful to be alive, and FaceTiming with his kids.

That is the kind of detail that puts everything else in perspective.

Pavan’s wife Audra and his sister are traveling to South Africa to be with him. Doctors expect him to remain there for at least six weeks before he can be safely evaluated for travel back to the Dallas area, where he is based. The recovery road is going to be long regardless of what comes next.

A former standout at Texas A&M who was part of the 2009 NCAA Championship team, Andrea Pavan has eight professional victories worldwide including his most recent DP World Tour win at the 2019 BMW International Open.

His future in professional golf is now uncertain, which is the last thing anyone should be thinking about right now but will eventually become part of the conversation.

His college teammate Matt Van Zandt has organized a GoFundMe to help cover international medical expenses, extended hospitalization, ongoing procedures, recovery costs, and family support during what is going to be an incredibly difficult stretch. Friends and fellow players have already been visiting him in the hospital.

Golf Twitter, need you big here! My former A&M golf teammate Andrea Pavan suffered severe injuries from a freak accident at the event in South Africa this week. He needs all of our help. Please take a second to read his story on the link below. https://t.co/bbyw71Dnx0
— Conrad Shindler (@CShindlerGolf) February 26, 2026

The golf world is small and these things land differently when it is one of their own. Wishing Pavan and his family the best through what is going to be a very long road back.