News: As generally anticipated, Darren Clarke has withdrawn from next week's US Open at Pinehurst No 2 in North Carolina. The 36-year-old Tyrone man - ranked 15th in the official world rankings - informed the USGA yesterday he would not be participating in the season's second major in order to be with his wife, Heather, who is continuing her battle with cancer.

"It's more important for me to be here with my family. Hopefully, Heather will be out of hospital soon and I will be able to return to the game, but there are more important issues to be dealt with at the moment than swinging a golf club," said Clarke.

Heather, who has been fighting secondary cancer for the past six months, was taken ill during the BMW Championship at Wentworth a fortnight ago and was readmitted to hospital where she underwent surgery.

She came out of intensive care last Monday and, it is hoped, will be released from hospital next week. The couple have two young boys, Tyrone and Conor, aged six and four.

Depending on his wife's recovery process, Clarke hopes to resume a limited playing schedule shortly.

He had already pulled out of this week's Booz Allen Classic at Congressional. Clarke, whose best performance came in the US Open at Pinehurst in 1999, when he was joint 10th, has yet to decide if he will play in the following week's Barclays Classic at Westchester.

Clarke's withdrawal means there will be three Irish players - Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell - in the field at the US Open, which will be defended by South Africa's Retief Goosen.