Ben Crane coasts to wire to wire win

Ben Crane, keeping his cool in searing heat, clinched his second PGA Tour title with a four-shot wire-to-wire victory at the Milwaukee Open on Sunday.

The 29-year-old American, who began the final round at the Brown Deer Park Golf Club with a two-shot cushion, pulled away from his challengers with a one-under-par 69 to finish on 20-under 260.

"It's been a tough road being out with a back injury the first few months of the season. I'm just thankful for this great week," said Crane. "You never know when it's going to come around that's why you have to be really patient with this game.

"Sometimes things just click."

Crane, who sealed his breakthrough win at the 2003 BellSouth Classic, held off the last-day threat of compatriot Scott Verplank as the temperatures hovered close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Verplank returned a 71 to secure second place at 16 under with Chad Campbell a further shot back in third after closing with a 65.

A notoriously slow player, Crane got his round off to a quick start, his two stroke advantage increasing to four after just two holes when Verplank bogeyed the first and he drained an eight-foot birdie on the second.

"The whole slow play thing is something that takes a little time and it's something I continue to work on," said Crane, whose slow play triggered a controversial incident and complaints from Rory Sabbatini at the Booz Allen Classic. "But I feel like I'm getting ready when it's my turn to hit and I think it is only a matter of time until I'm up there with the average guys.

Crane gave a shot back on the fourth but recovered with a chip in for eagle on the par-five sixth to surge five shots clear.

But his rollercoaster round continued with a bogey on the seventh leaving him at 20-under heading into the turn.

It was on the back nine that Crane finally began to feel the heat as he watched his lead trimmed to just three shots after Verplank birdied 12 and he followed up with a bogey on 13.

Crane's lead, however, would never dip below the three strokes, going error free the rest of the way home with a birdie on the second last to seal the win.

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