It’s been a long time, but Ben Crane is back in the winner’s circle after winning the FedEx St. Jude. Crane shot a final-round 73 to finish 10-under par, one shot clear of the field.
“I had every thought going through my head,” Crane said after his win. “I had the thought of hey, let’s try to build this lead. Hey, let’s just try to hang on to this lead. You have every thought. But it’s like at the end of the day, all you can do is just buckle down on this shot and do your best and then that’s it.”
Crane’s fifth career Tour win was a true test of endurance. He had not won an event since 2011 at the McGladrey Classic, and weather delays that plagued the tournament the last three days forced him into the marathon session Sunday, finishing 12 holes in the morning with a third-round 69. Then Crane had to turn around and begin the final round.
Finishing was not without a bit of nerves, however, as Crane made no birdies in his final round and two-putted for bogey on the last hole. Troy Merritt finished second with a final-round 71 that moved him to 9-under. Webb Simpson shot a final-round 65 to finish tied for third with Matt Every and Carl Pettersson. Phil Mickelson finished T11th at 6-under after a final-round 72.
Merritt’s runner-up finish marks his best performance on the PGA Tour after experiencing straight missed cuts. With his second place finish, Merritt will make a big move in the FedExCup standings. He is currently ranked 194th and is projected to move up to 111th.
Despite Crane’s victory, he will not earn a berth into the U.S. Open. He came into the week ranked 276th in the Official World Golf Rankings, and the win will move him to about 100th. He needed to be in the top 60 in the OWGR to earn a spot into the U.S. Open field.
Crane, however, is going to enjoy this win and this moment in his career.
“This win is different for me,” Crane said. “I want to treat it differently and I really want to enjoy it. I don’t want to act like there’s five more behind it. I want to celebrate it with my friends and my wife and my kids.”
