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Forgive Rocco Mediate, if he continues to channel Carl Spackler.

Excuse, too, those in future Mediate galleries who might yell: “It’s in the hole!”

Mediate earned the right to his own cinderella story and will enjoy the fit of his spikes for at least another two years in the form of a PGA Tour exemption with some golf that will certainly bring tears to his eyes.

With the help of no fewer than four hole-outs over the course of four days, Mediate won for the first time in eight years and as anyone in the sport will tell you, victories cure a host of ills.

“I have a job,” Mediate told reporters at CordeValle Golf Club after securing the Frys.com Open by a stroke.

Rocco Mediate at Heritage Classic. Photo by Keith Allison.

Mediate was that close to returning to Q-school, which at 47, has only slightly more appeal than learning a new trade or an annual exam.

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Henrik Stenson is out of the World Golf Championships Match Play event near Tucson after one hole due to illness.

The 2007 champion and second seed this year apparently was suffering from flu-like symptoms and conceded his  first-round match to Ben Crane on Wednesday, according to a report in the Associated Press. Crane continued to play the course despite advancing to the second round.

Stenson, a native of Sweden, was making his first appearance on the PGA Tour this season but has played in three European Tour events in 2010 with his top finish being a T8 at the Dubai Desert Classic last weekend.

The winner of the 2009 Players Championship, Stenson prevailed at the WGC Match Play three years ago with a 2-and-1 victory over Geoff Ogilvy who was the defending champion. Ogilvy is also defending his crown this year.

Mike Scarr is the editor of Golflink.com. He can be reached at golflinkeditor@demandmedia.com.

Ben Crane tried to give the Farmers Insurance Open away Sunday, but no one was quite willing to step up and take it on a clear and cool afternoon in San Diego.

A group of potential suitors extended five deep and seven players finished within two strokes of the lead but Crane minimized his mistakes just enough on the back nine of the South course at Torrey Pines to end on top.

It was the third PGA Tour title for Crane and worth not only a $954,000 first-place check, but a berth in the Masters in April.

Brandt Snedaker, Mark Leishman, Ernie Els and Rickie Fowler all could have at least forced a playoff, but none came closer than Michael Sim. The Australian lipped out a short birdie putt on 17 that would have tied him for the lead when playing-partner Crane missed a short putt for par on the same hole.

Yet it was a puzzling turn of course management decisions by Sim on 18 that tossed away his chances for victory.

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Scott Piercy fired an eight-under par 64 to take a one-stroke lead at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego through one round of play.

Playing the easier North course at the two-track layout in Torrey Pines, Piercy set a torrid pace on the front nine with seven birdies for a 29. After a bogey at 11, Piercy carded four straight pars before birdies on 16 and again on 18.

A quartet of players are one stroke back of Piercy at seven-under and all played the North. Players get one round each on the North and the South courses in the first two rounds of the tournament before the 36-hole cut. Those that survive to the weekend will play the South course Saturday and Sunday.

Ben Crane, Chris Tidland, Ryuji Imada and Matt Every each share a piece of second place.

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