'Grazie Mille Everyone' - Andrea Pavan Releases Statement After Elevator Accident

Andrea Pavan has issued a statement to thank medical staff and well wishers after his freak elevator accident, as he prepares for a long rehab back to full health

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Andrea Pavan at the Hainan Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The DP World Tour has released a statement from Andrea Pavan thanking everyone for the support he's received after his freak elevator accident.

The Italian fell three stories down an elevator shaft at his accommodation for the South African Open, and was rushed to hostpital with serious back and shoulder injuries.

His former Texas A&M teammate Matt Van Zandt has set up a GoFundMe page to help Pavan and his family deal with the expenses of a prolonged hospital stay overseas and all the related medical bills.

And players, caddies and officials from the South African Open at Stellenbosch have already been to hospital to check in on the 36-year-old after his ordeal.

Pavan reportedly pressed for the elevator in his accommodation and went to step in when the doors opened, only the car had not arrived and instead he suffered a horror fall down the elevator shaft.

Early reports suggest Pavan will require further surgey on his injuries, but from comments by his friends and now his statement he at least seems in decent spirits despite his ordeal.

In his statement released through the DP World Tour Pavan confirmed he'd had back and shoulder surgery, and thanked all the medical staff involved in his treatment so far.

As he prepares for "a lot of rehab and hard work ahead of me" to try and fully recover from his injuries, he also thanked everyone who had wished him well and all the visitors he'd already had in hospital.

Andrea Pavan statement in full as released through the DP World Tour...

I would like to say a big thank you for all the kind words and wishes I have received over the last 48 hours. I had surgery on my shoulder and my back on Wednesday evening and I am currently recovering in hospital.

I now have a lot of rehab and hard work ahead of me, but the care I have received so far from the Mediclinic hospital staff has been incredible, as has the support from the DP World Tour, the Sunshine Tour and all their staff here in Stellenbosch. I am also very grateful for all the help Johann Rupert and his wife Gaynor have given me.

The last two days have been difficult, but I am in very good hands and to have so many players, caddies and staff visit and contact me has meant a lot to me.

Grazie mille everyone, from me, my wife Audra, and my entire family.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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