Ben Crane holds on to halfway lead

Ben Crane, of all people, accelerated his golf game Friday night.

Crane, whose slow play drew the ire of Rory Sabbatini at the Booz Allen Classic last month, didn't want to have to return to Brown Deer Park first thing Saturday morning to play just one hole at the US Bank Championship.

So, he found himself running between shots and conspiring with playing partners Corey Pavin and Kenny Perry to make sure they didn't have to set the alarm clock.

``Given the fact I'll probably have a late tee time tomorrow, it's nice to get that extra sleep and not have to get up really early to come out here and hit one shot or something like that. I'll sleep a little better tonight,'' Crane said after carding a 5-under 65 to maintain his lead.

Crane's 13-under 127 total is two shots better than Scott Verplank and four better than Tommy Armour III and Chris Smith.

Jeff Sluman was at minus-11 and waiting to tee off on his last hole when play was suspended at 8:25 p.m. due to darkness. He was one of 55 players who will have to return at 7:30 a.m. Saturday to finish.

``I just hope I don't oversleep and miss the cut,'' Sluman said.

Crane won't have to worry about a wake-up call after just getting his tee shot off when the horn sounded.

Crane was finishing up on No. 17 when he gave the signal -- a birdcall ``caw-caw!'' from ``The Three Amigos'' movie -- for Pavin to tee off on 18 before the horn blared, ensuring that his threesome would be allowed to finish.

``Only in dangerous situations can you not finish the hole if they blow the horn,'' Crane said. ``We knew if we got a ball in the air we could finish and that's what we wanted to do. Corey was a big help.''

As darkness fell, Crane ran between shots but he said his haste didn't affect his game. He missed birdie putts on 16 and 17.

``I was very careful not to rush the shot I was playing,'' he said. ``I wasn't compromising my play. ... We were running between shots. We were running on 17. We were running on 16 a little bit just to give ourselves an opportunity to finish.''

Last month, both Crane and Sabbatini were warned for slow play and an obviously unhappy Sabbatini putted out of turn on the 17th green. After they finished, the two exchanged a weak handshake as Sabbatini stormed toward the clubhouse.

On Friday night, Crane said he didn't see the irony in his running around the golf course.

``No. I mean, we were just trying to get in before dark,'' he said. ``I've obviously been working hard on getting faster and it's getting better. So, I'm pleased that I've gotten a little bit faster. And I've still got a little ways to go, I'm sure. But I'm doing my best.''

Crane didn't tee off until 4:27 p.m. because of thunderstorms that postponed play Thursday with more than 90 golfers yet to finish 18 holes.

Verplank had to play 32 holes Friday.

After carding a 64-65 for an 11-under 129, Verplank, whose feet were already sore from the hard scrabble course at St. Andrews, headed straight to the locker room to kick off his golf shoes and slip on some sneakers.

At least he didn't have to play 36 holes like the 15 golfers who hadn't even made it off the range when play was halted Thursday.

With the Milwaukee stop coming a week after the British Open, the last thing the jet-lagged field needed was another rain delay -- 14 of 31 tour stops have been interrupted by bad weather this year.

``I think everybody gets a little beat up playing in the British Open because the ground's so hard. It's hard walking. You can't take a divot because the ground is so hard. It's hard on your whole body,'' Verplank said. ``So, yeah, playing 32 holes today, I'm glad it's over with.''

Armour is coming off a two-week vacation in Italy, where he played just nine holes. So, even though he played 32 rounds himself Friday, he wasn't bothered at all.

``Luckily, this is an easy course to walk, so it wasn't that bad,'' Armour said after carding a bogey-free 66-65 for a minus-9.

Among those who had to play Brown Deer Park twice Friday was Kevin Hall, a deaf golfer who shot a 2-under 68 in his PGA Tour debut in the morning. He tuckered out, however, and missed the cut after carding a 4-over-74 on his second trip around the course.

``I really lost my energy on the back nine,'' Hall said, ``and it really affected my shots.''

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