Crane lifts first US tour title in fine style
Crane, infamous for being voted the slowest player on tour by his fellow professionals, equalled the course record with a final-round 63 at Sugarloaf for a 16-under total of 272.
The 27-year-old from Oregon eagled the last to be home in 29 and was 17 under for his last two rounds, having just survived the halfway cut on Friday by a single shot on one over par.
Former USPGA champion Bob Tway, who led by four shots at one stage in the final round, ended four shots back in second, with former US Open champion Retief Goosen a shot further adrift in joint third alongside American duo Jay Williamson and Hank Kuehne.
Overnight leader Lee Janzen stumbled to a closing 77 to finish in a tie for 13th, going from six ahead of Crane to eight shots behind.
Goosen warmed up for next week's US Masters with an admirable defence of the title. The South African who finished second behind Tiger Woods at Augusta 12 months ago fired a final round of 65.
"I was really too far behind, yesterday's round (74) killed me," admitted Goosen, who finished in style with a birdie on the last to be home in 31, playing a brilliant bunker shot from 25 yards to within three feet of a pin guarded by water lurking dangerously behind.
"If I could have got a few more birdies coming home I might have had a better chance but at the end of the day I'm happy with where I am.
"I'm starting to hit the ball quite nicely, but not putting as well as I would like. I feel like I'm driving the ball better than last year, but my irons are not so good and that means your putting is not going to be as good."
The former US Open champion will head to Augusta today and play a practice round tomorrow to familiarise himself with the changes made to the course.
"It's changed a lot over the last couple of years, so it will be interesting to see what it will be like," added the European number one for the last two years.
"Last year, it played very long with all the rain, but this year, hopefully, the weather forecast is a bit better.
"Today was a nice round to take to next week. A few more of those next week would be nice."
Former Open champion Paul Lawrie was also delighted to birdie the last and finish with a closing 68 for a nine-under total of 279.
"This is exactly what I wanted," said the 34-year-old from Aberdeen, who only received an invite to make his tournament debut at Sugarloaf late last week, when former Ryder Cup partner Colin Montgomerie pulled out.
"I played really nicely again today and it's been a very good week. Today was more like it's going to be next week, with the wind blowing a little.
"Tee to green all year I've been fantastic and I'm starting to putt a lot better. I'm not putting any pressure on myself going into next week (he has missed the cut in all three previous starts) but I'm looking forward to it.
"I've played more before the Masters than ever before and that was the idea. It used to be my third or fourth event of the year and you just can't do that. This is my seventh or eighth, so I've doubled my schedule and now I feel as if I can just stand up and play golf."
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