An unbelievable shock for the golf world! Italian golfer Andrea Pavan suffered a severe injury in a freak accident just before the South African Open in Stellenbosch. He fell into an elevator shaft and, after operations on his back and shoulder, now faces a long road back to the course.
The accident occurred on Wednesday. Allegedly, Pavan fell several floors deep because the elevator door in his private accommodation opened – but there was no elevator car in sight! Absolutely insane!
The 36-year-old Pavan, a two-time winner on the European Tour, was immediately admitted to the local hospital. Diagnosis: serious! Several fractured vertebrae and a severely damaged shoulder – it was a critical situation.
Pavan himself spoke out on Friday via a statement from the European Tour: "I underwent surgery on my shoulder and back on Wednesday evening and am currently recovering in hospital. Now, a lot of rehabilitation and hard work lies ahead of me."
He thanked the fans for the outpouring of sympathy and emphasized that the support in the hospital had been "incredible." "The last two days have been tough, but I am in the best hands. And it means a lot to me that so many players, caddies, and staff have visited and contacted me."
For Pavan, it now means: waiting in South Africa. He is expected to remain there for "many weeks" before he can fly back to the USA. This was revealed by his former teammate Matt van Zandt, who, by the way, has also immediately launched a fundraising campaign to help with the immense medical costs.
