Two-time DP World Tour champion Andrea Pavan was involved in an accident on Wednesday, an incident that ultimately forced him to withdraw from the Investec South African Open Championship

Reports indicate the elevator doors opened to an empty shaft, which led to Andrea Pavan’s fall and resulting injuries. 

From Monday, Q Info on X on Thursday came an update based on conversations with sources close to the situation. “From the people I spoke with, the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. He was in surgery for several hours.”

Meanwhile, Italian media state that he underwent a six-hour surgery to address multiple vertebral fractures and to have a plate inserted in his shoulder.

To clarify, the accident did not take place at Stellenbosch Golf Club. Instead, it occurred at the location where Pavan was staying during the tournament.

While the DP World Tour has not issued an official statement on the incident, JT Higgins, Pavan’s former college coach, told Golf Channel, “By all accounts, he’s in good spirits, thankful to be alive and FaceTiming with his kids.”

Before the incident, Pavan’s season and career record reflected steady progress across both the European circuit and international events.

Andrea Pavan’s Career Record and Season Results

Andrea Pavan’s career began in the amateur ranks in Italy, where he won the 2006 Omnium Championship before turning professional in 2010. 

He then moved to the collegiate level at Texas A&M University and was part of the team that claimed the 2009 NCAA Championship.

Pavan built momentum on the Challenge Tour, collecting five victories and finishing first in the 2013 Challenge Tour Rankings. Which earned him a place on the main European circuit, where he went on to win twice on the DP World Tour.

His first title came at the 2018 D+D Real Czech Masters, where he finished at 22-under-par. 

A year later, he added the 2019 BMW International Open, defeating Matthew Fitzpatrick in a playoff. Following that win, he reached a career-high world ranking of No. 65.

He has competed in three major championships, including the 2025 U.S. Open, but has yet to make a cut at that level.

Before the accident, he had opened the 2026 season with a tie for ninth at the Bahrain Championship and a tie for 14th at the Dubai Desert Classic.

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu