Day's British Open hopes Dashed

Australian golfer Jason Day has withdrawn from next week's British Open to be with his family after the birth of his son.

The world number 21 and wife Ellie welcomed Dash James Day into the world in Ohio on Tuesday.

And as a result, Day has pulled out of golf's third major of the year, which starts at the Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire next Thursday.

Australia's top golfer, Adam Scott, ranked 12th in the world, will play in the event while world number 80 Marc Leishman has been cleared by US Immigration to travel to the tournament.

Leishman – who won the Travelers Championship in June – had qualified for The Open but is in the process of applying for a green card in the United States, which means that he cannot travel overseas during the process without special exception.

The 28-year-old Victorian has received the paperwork allowing him to travel and will join the likes of Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Nicholas Cullen, Marcus Fraser, Ashley Hall, Brendan Jones, Brad Kennedy, Geoff Ogilvy, Scott, John Senden and Aaron Townsend as Aussies at the event.