Golf: Iles a step closer to his flight home

New Zealand's top amateur golfer, Bradley Iles, is up and about just over a week after suffering serious head injuries in the United States.

But no date has been set for his return home.

Iles, 20, fractured his skull when he fell from a golf cart on the night of a South Carolina golf tournament he had competed in earlier in the day.

His father, Peter Iles, said yesterday his son had been moved into a private ward from intensive care at the Georgia hospital where he was being treated.

"He is still being cared for quite intensively."

He did not know when his son could fly home.

Last week, it had looked as though it could be one to two months, but now it could be a matter of a couple of weeks.

"Bradley is going to be seen by a doctor to look in his ears to see if he is fit to travel," Peter Iles said.

"He had a leakage from one ear during the accident, and that is what they have to clear up next.

"The doctors in New Zealand are working with the doctors in the US to find a way to get him back to New Zealand."

His son was now able to walk down the hallway with the physiotherapist but got tired easily.

"He is still in a little discomfort, but he is fully conscious and recovering really well," Peter Iles said.

Bradley could now remember most things, but his short-term memory was lacking.

"We have to remind him about things happening immediately, but we understand that that's quite normal.

"A few days ago we were thinking that it would be a month or so [before he could return home].

"I don't know if we are looking at a week or two now but we don't have any medical advice on that.

"His progress has been so fantastic.

"It has been just a week and he's out of intensive care, he is standing up and walking about, sitting up and eating, so with that sort of improvement, you feel he'll be out on the golf course in another week."


- NZPA