Ben Crane Charges Back to win McGladrey Classic in Playoff

Ben Crane, who at any day will be welcoming his third child into the world, charged back from seven strokes behind with 11 holes to play to force a playoff with Webb Simpson to decide the 2011 McGladrey Classic.

The three-time winner on Tour had not won since the Farmers Insurance Open in January of 2010.

Crane ran off six birdies on the back-nine at Sea Island including four in a row from holes 14 to 17 to get his score to 15-under par and force a playoff with Simpson.

54-hole leader Michael Thompson was in contention most of the afternoon. However he had two costly bogeys on No. 12 and No. 18 that saw his chance for his first PGA Tour victory slip out of reach.

With the tournament needing extra holes to determine the winner, it set a PGA Tour record for most playoffs in a single season at 18.

Simpson was looking to become the only three-time winner on Tour this season, which could have had major implications on the 2011 PGA Tour Player of the Year race.

The pair exchanged pars on the first playoff holes, No. 18 that forced them to the par-three 17th to see if the tournament could be decided there.

Both players found the green on their tee shots, but it would be Crane's day as he sank a five-foot putt of par and watched as Simpson lipped his three-foot par putt out on the right hand side of the cup giving him his first win this year on Tour.

There is some conciliation for Simpson however. In entering the McGladrey Classic, he was trying to chase down the Money Title lead that Luke Donald had over him with only one event left in the Fall Series.

He did just that.

Simpson is now leading the 2011 PGA Tour Money Title race by $363,029 over Donald and the two will tee it up next week in Walt Disney World.

"Finishing second is going to make it a lot harder for Luke," Simpson said in his post round press conference. "But I'm sure he's going to play well. He's played well most every week this year. I still wouldn't be surprised if I have a little work to do next week."

Crane of course is rushing back home to Dallas where he and his wife, Heather, will eagerly await the birth of their third child on Monday.

So now the stage is set for Simpson and Donald heading into the final event of the 2011 PGA Tour season with, the money title on the line in Walt Disney World.

Perhaps the Player of the Year honors as well.