Maybe it has to do with the sport's ties to the British Isles, but I've always thought golf was closest to its essence in nasty weather. Clear skies are best for the players, sure, but there's something romantic and even nostalgic about seeing them wind- and rain-battered, hitting low shots as they squint into the overcast horizon, overpowered by the elements. That's why I was excited that this year's U.S. Open took place at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, and why the first three sunny days left me a bit empty. We were promised fog!

It finally crept in Sunday, and the dark skies and heavy air set the stage for an ugly final round, where Raleigh's Webb Simpson stole a major title from seasoned contenders such as Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell.

In case you were out living a life of leisure, here's what you missed in sports over the weekend.

• Raleigh native Webb Simpson posted a final-round 68 and watched as the leaders faltered on a tough day at The Olympic Club, handing him the U.S. Open. "Well, golly gee, if that ain't just ol' Webby all the way, lucking into a gol-dang tournament on the foggiest day this side of a North Carolina holler!" said Simpson, the Wake Forest graduate who is trying hard to build his brand as a comical country bumpkin. "Jiminy cricket! I reckon they'll be firing up the fancy tractors and gettin' all likkered up in their Sunday overalls back home! Yessireebob! We're gonna jump in that crick like it's our mammy's birthday! Whippity-snip, zippedy-doo, smackety-bip and a cock-a-doodle-doo!"