Rough go of it for Crane

• By Rex Hoggard
• Sep 1, 2012 6:51 PM ET

NORTON, Mass. – The most compelling argument that the FedEx Cup playoffs are beginning to resonate with the players could be found in the form of a slump-shouldered Ben Crane in fading light at TPC Boston on Saturday.

Moments after bogeying the last hole to drop to 3 over he was wrestling with the reality that his post-season may be over. Crane began the week 52^nd on the points list and when he signed his card at the Deutsche Bank Championship the computers had him projected at 70^th, on the bubble to make next week’s BMW Championship with no way to improve his playoff plight.

The emotions were compounded by a particularly tough stretch for Crane, who was forced to withdraw from last month’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with a back ailment that also forced him to miss the PGA Championship.

Crane went three weeks without being able to swing a golf club and it wasn’t until Thursday’s opening round at last week’s Barclays that he was able to play a full round.

“Had a really disappointing month being hurt,” Crane said. “It’s hard when you can’t practice . . . Can’t think of a rougher way to finish (the playoffs).”

Crane said his back was not hurting but that did little to help ease the sting of possibly missing the BMW for the third consecutive year.

“For most people missing the cut by a shot in a tournament like this might not mean that much, but it means a lot to me,” he said. “Very disappointing.”