Immelman claims Western Open in style

South African Trevor Immelman, winner of the Western Open, is not certain to play next week's Open Championship.

The 26-year-old's wife Carminita is expecting their first child, a boy, on July 27th and whether he plays at Hoylake depends on her condition.

"Very simply, it's going to be decided whether the little guy arrives next week or not," said Immelman, who held off a charging Tiger Woods to capture his first US Tour title with a 33-foot closing birdie putt.

"I've always planned to have this week off at home in Orlando with her. If nothing crazy happens by Saturday, I'll probably go over to the Open and try to get back as soon as I can."

Woods, in danger of missing a second successive cut after an opening 72, burst through the field to put the pressure on Immelman, who had let slip two great chances to win earlier this season.

But after bogeying the 17th the three-time European tour winner produced the best putt of his life, up and over a ridge in the final green with a seven-foot break on it, to take the title by two from Woods and Australian Mathew Goggin.

"It's an incredible feeling," he said afterwards. "To hole that putt on the last gives me goosebumps thinking about it. I was just trying to two-putt.

"This game is so hard to fathom, you don't try to. It was utter disbelief when the ball disappeared. If I had to stand there with 50 balls and try to do it again, I'd hole one or two of them."

Woods, who crashed out of the US Open with back-to-back 76s on his return from the death of his father, was thrilled with the improvement in his game with his defence of the Open approaching fast.

"I made some great improvement on the range this week, working all those hours out there and working on all those things I need to hone to be more consistent.

"I started hitting the ball really flush and really controlling my flight. Shooting one over par (last Thursday) and still having a chance on the last few holes, I think that's pretty good.

"On tour nowadays you shoot one over par you usually get lapped, but I was somehow able to get back in the tournament.

"It was nice to feel the juices coming down the stretch where I had a chance. That's part of being an athlete - to feel that rush coming down the stretch.

"It's tough to have the nerves and control them and the adrenaline. It's a blast. It's actually a blast. This was only my second tournament since the Masters, so it's been a while."

On recovering from the devastating loss of his father Earl the 30-year-old commented: "It's one of those things where you have to turn the page. I'm sure that it'll happen.

"One day unfortunately I'll lose my other parent and I'll turn the page there as well. That's just one of the things you have to deal with. But I look back on my life previous to that with nothing but smiles."

Luke Donald's two closing bogeys for a 72 and joint 21st stopped him climbing back into the top 10 of the Ryder Cup table, but he will hope to put that right at this week's Scottish Open or, better still, next week's Open.

So too will Swede Carl Pettersson, who finished in a tie for fourth and remains ninth on the world points list from which the first five members of Ian Woosnam's side will come.

Justin Rose (19th) and Brian Davis (21st) failed to achieve the top 10 finish they needed for the chance of a place in the Open.