Golf: Iles wakes from coma after brain surgery

1.00pm

Leading New Zealand amateur golfer Brad Iles has woken from his induced coma after undergoing brain surgery in a US hospital to remove a blood clot.

Iles, 20, fractured his skull after falling from a golf cart on Sunday night (US time) after competing in the Players' Amateur tournament in South Carolina.

Iles' Wellington based coach Mal Tongue said today hospital officials confirmed the operation went well and Iles was awake.

He was in a stable but critical condition.

"The first 24 hours are going to be crucial. From here it's an hour by hour thing because it's such a serious injury," Tongue said.

"The clot was removed to relieve pressure from his brain. The hospital said it had gone well and they had commented on how strong Brad was physically fit, but he was still in a life threatening situation."

Tongue said it was too early to know how long he would remain in hospital, but his parents Peter and Karen and sister Kelly were with him.

Tongue told NZPA Iles was transported from the golf course in South Carolina to the University Medical Centre in Savannah, Georgia.

"They shipped him there because that is one of the foremost places for brain surgery and the team who operated on him are one of the one of the best in America.

"If you wanted to have a bad accident that was the best place to be."

The hospital staff were pleased with his progress after the operation and he understood what had happened, Tongue added.

"A nurse said that when she told him Mal's rung he had a little smile so he seemed to understand what she was talking about."

Tongue could not confirm reports Iles was out riding in a golf cart looking for alligators when the accident happened, or if alcohol was involved.

Tournament organiser Steve Wilmot said this morning the accident happened about 11pm local time on Sunday, nine hours after the competition had finished.

"Our understanding is that the reason they were out is that they were looking for alligators and planning on doing some fishing," he said.

"There were two people sitting in the front, which is why Brad was standing on the back.

"He thought the cart was going left, and when it went right he fell off.

"There were about six or seven people riding around in two carts."

Iles had been in the US contesting a series of tournaments and yesterday had finished equal ninth in the Players' Amateur in South Carolina.

His trip to the US had been part of his preparations for the world amateur teams championship at Puerto Rico on October 28-31.

He won the Australian strokeplay championships in Adelaide in March.

- NZPA