Australian Michael Sim has narrowly missed out on his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

Sim finished in a tie for second with fellow Australian Marc Leishman and American Brandt Snedeker, one shot behind winner Ben Crane.

American Crane landed the third PGA Tour win of his career with a 13-under-par total thanks to a closing two-under-par 70, having started the day two strokes behind 54-hole leader Ryuji Imada of Japan.

Having held a two-shot lead going to the 17th, Crane bogeyed the penultimate hole to narrow his advantage to just one shot to Sim heading to the 72nd hole. Leishman and Snedeker were already in the clubhouse on 12 under.

Rookie Sim could not add further pressure on Crane as he parred the last for a 71 to stay at 12 under, leaving Crane to putt for par and victory.

American Michael Allen shot a seven-under-par 65 on his 51st birthday to claim a share of fifth place at 11 under alongside PGA Tour rookies Alex Prugh (66) and Rickie Fowler (70) and South Africa's Ernie Els (69).

Imada's hopes of a third victory of his own in the US faded early after he bogeyed two of his first seven holes and the Japanese player finished with a three over 75 at 10 under in a tie for ninth with 2009 champion Nick Watney, Charles Howell III and DA Points of the United States and Robert Allenby of Australia.

Fowler's hopes of a maiden victory had disappeared at the par-four 17th, where he double bogeyed on the way to a 70 while Allenby had also been in contention until he got the wrong end of a ruling having sent his ball into a hazard at the 17th.

No-one but Allenby saw the ball enter the hazard and, having been unable to find it, the official said its presence in a thicket could not be verified and therefore the Australian had to go back to the tee box rather than being allowed a drop.

The subsequent triple bogey followed bogeys at the 14th and 15th but Allenby finished in style with an eagle three at the last.

World No.2 Phil Mickelson struggled in his home town on the final day. The left-hander started four strokes behind Imada but was quickly on the back foot with three bogeys in a row to open and the American finished with a one-over 73 to close at eight under for the week.

from pgatour.com.au