BIRTH OF SECOND BABY MAY KO SIMPSON FROM OUR OPEN

New US Open champion Webb Simpson, whose closing 68 in San Francisco made it an incredible nine first-time winners in a row in the majors, is unlikely to go for the next Major, the Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

It starts four weeks on Thursday and Simpson's wife, Dowd, is expecting their second child in six weeks.

"Officially I don't know yet," he said after beating compatriot Michael Thompson and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell by a shot at the Olympic Club.

"The next eight weeks are going to be up in the air. We're going to see what we can do."

His wife gave a more revealing answer, however.

"I don't think he is going to play the British Open just in case I go into labour," she told reporters. "It would make Webb too nervous to hop over the pond and then have to try to get back."

Family is always going to come first, but Simpson must be sorely tempted to try to emulate the US Open-Open double feat of Bobby Jones (1926 and 1930), Gene Sarazen (1932), Ben Hogan (1953), Lee Trevino (1971), Tom Watson (1982) and Tiger Woods (2000).
Simpson's first-ever round in our Open championship was a 66 at Sandwich last year. It put him only one off the lead but he went on to finish 16th.
Last week was only the fifth major of his career, but he had no reason to believe that that barred him from being a contender - Keegan Bradley won the USPGA Championship last August at his first attempt.
Simpson was six behind with 13 holes to play on Sunday, but four birdies in five holes form the sixth brought him into the hunt and the errors of others then made him champion in a real war of attrition.