Golfer Crane triumphs at Torrey Pines

Ben Crane won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Sunday, firing a final-round 70 for a one-shot victory. Crane's round included two birdie bombs, and he sank a par putt from inside three feet at the final hole to win with a 13-under total of 275. His third career victory on the PGA Tour gives Crane a trip the first major championship of the year, the Masters, for the first time in three years. "It's certainly really cool to know that I'm going the right direction," Crane said.

It's a better reason to be in the spotlight for Crane, who briefly gained unwanted - and unwarranted - notoriety when Life and Style magazine erroneously quoted him commenting on the Tiger Woods sex scandal in December. The magazine said its reporter spoke to Crane at qualifying school, which Crane did not attend. Australian Marc Leishman carded a 68, compatriot Michael Sim a 71 and Brandt Snedeker a 69 to share second on 276. South African Ernie Els carded a 69 to head a group of four players on 277, while overnight leader Ryuji Imada of Japan shot a 75 to fall into a group on 278 that also included Australian Robert Allenby (70).

World number two Phil Mickelson, making his 2010 season debut, closed the week with a 73 to finish five off the pace on 280. "I didn't feel I played as bad as the score reflected," said Mickelson, who started the day four off the lead but bogeyed his first three holes to quickly drop out of contention. "I feel my game is coming around. I was really excited about playing here.

Maybe I was a little anxious. My timing was a little off this week." Crane started the day tied with Sim two shots behind Imada. He notched three birdies in his first five holes, including a 45-footer at the third.

Another 45-footer for birdie at 11 saw his lead swell to three strokes. "Obviously the one on three was just an awesome putt, fun," Crane said. "Just hit it and got a long time to watch it and it was just right in the middle the whole way and just a beautiful putt. "I made two putts today that you certainly never expect to make.

I was not trying to make those putts, I was just trying to put a good stroke on it, and they happened to go in." Allenby made a charge, but dropped five shots in a span of four holes to fall by the wayside. Sim stayed close, but missed a golden opportunity when his 15-foot birdie putt at 17 barely failed to drop. Crane's lead dwindled when he missed a short par putt at 17, but both he and Sim parred the par-five 18th.

Crane, who said he makes a conscious effort "not to get involved in score and outcome and all that," said he didn't realize he had won. "I did not know that I had won when it was over. I didn't know who was playing well ..

. Actually the first person that told me was Ryuji. He goes, 'Congratulations.' "And I go: 'Did I win?' He kind of looks at me.

I said, 'Did I win the tournament?' He's like, 'Yeah.' I'm like, 'All right, thanks.'"