Biography

Ben Crane

Ben was age 5 when his grandfather taught him how to play golf. Winner of the 1998 Pacific Coast Amateur. . . Was a three-time all-Pac-10 selection. Originally attended Baylor University, but did not play golf. Was the medalist at the 1995 U.S. Amateur. After turning professional, he started Monday qualifying on the Buy.Com tour and it paid off in 2000 when he won the Buy.Com Tour's Wichita Open, becoming the 12th Monday qualifier to win a tournament with a three-stroke victory. His winning score of 25-under-par was at the time the second lowest score in Buy.Com Tour history.

Crane won an event on the second tier Nationwide Tour in each of 2000 and 2001. He won a PGA Tour card for 2002, and the following season won for the first time on the PGA Tour at the BellSouth Classic. He also had a win in 2005. In February 2006, just before he turned thirty, he was the highest ranked American golfer under that age in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Career Victories

Nationwide Tour

2 - 2000 Buy.Com Wichita Open, 2001 Gila River Classic At Wild Horse Pass Development

PGA Tour

2 - 2003 BellSouth Classic, 2005 U.S. Bank Championship In Milwaukee

Career Summary

2000 Buy.com Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 18; in money - 11; Top-10 finishes -1; scoring average 71.57 (ranked 72nd); money $103,651 (ranked 48th); winner Buy.Com Wichita Open 

2001 Buy.com Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 26; in money - 14; Top-10 finishes -4; scoring average 70.83 (ranked 46th); money $147,474 (ranked 23rd); winner Buy.Com Gila River Classic. Earned his PGA Tour card by finishing T5th at the 2001 PGA Tour qualifying tournament. Coming into 2002 he had never played in a PGA Tour event. 

2002 Notes

Earned a career-best $518,400 at the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic, six days before his wedding, enough to secure card for 2003.

2002 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 30; rounds played -89 ; in money -16; top-10 finishes - 2; money $921,076 (ranked 70th); best finish 2nd at the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic

2002 Stats

Scoring - 71.16 / (94th); driving distance - 286.1 / (39th); driving accuracy -65.8% / (138th); GIR - 62.7% / (171st); putting - 1.715 / (4th); birdie average - 3.96 per rd / (22nd) / total birdies - 352; sand saves - 48.0% / (125th); all-around rank - 611 / (51st).

2003 Notes

One of seven first-time winners in 2003.

2003 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 27; Rounds Played - 92; in money - 19; top -10 Finishes - 3; money $1,419,070 Rank (48th); Best finish: Won at the BellSouth Classic 

2003 Stats

Scoring - 70.89 / (75th); Driving Distance - 289.2 / (68th); Driving Accuracy - 60.6% / (165th); GIR - 64.1% / (122nd); Putting - 1.750 / (36th); Birdie Average - 3.89 per rd / (33rd) / Total Birdies - 358; Sand Saves - 49.7% / (103rd); All-Around Rank - 751 / (100th).

2004 Notes

Finished in the top 75 on the money list for the third straight season

2004 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 27; Rounds Played - 92; in money - 19; top -10 Finishes - 5; money $1,036,958 Rank (75th); Best finish: T-5th at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

2004 Stats

Scoring - 71.01 / (82nd); Driving Distance - 283.8 / (125th); Driving Accuracy - 64.4% / (93rd); GIR - 64.2% / (115th); Putting - 1.740 / (9th); Birdie Average - 3.73 per rd / (50th) / Total Birdies - 343; Sand Saves - 53.8% / (35th); All-Around Rank - 627 / (53rd). 

Professional wins

PGA Tour

2005 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee
2003 BellSouth Classic

Other

2001 Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Pass Development (Nationwide Tour)
2000 Buy.com Wichita Open (Nationwide Tour)

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Crane
http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2005/scoring/profiles/23541.html