By Chris Havlicek
Updated 7/2/24 9:46pm ET
The PGA Tour will head to TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, for the John Deere Classic. Defending champion Sepp Straka is part of a diluted field that does include some proven past winners like Jordan Spieth and Jason Day. Patrick Cantlay, an eight-time PGA Tour champion, opened as the 9-1 favorite but withdrew on Monday.
Sungjae Im (+1400) is the new favorite, followed by Straka (+1600), Spieth (+2000), Aaron Rai (+2000), and Denny McCarthy (+2000).
The John Deere Classic doesn’t draw the game’s best players due to where it falls on the schedule. Straka is the highest-ranked player in the field at 24th in the world, followed by Sungjae Im at 29th and Jordan Speith at 32nd.
Dates/Location:
What: The John Deere Classic
Where: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Ill.
When: Thursday-Sunday, July 5 – July 8
Purse: $8 Million
Defending Champion: Sepp Straka
The Course:
TPC Deere Run is the quintessential “accuracy” course, where power takes a backseat to precision. The venue plays short by PGA TOUR standards at just over 7,200 yards (par 71) and features tree-lined fairways that can be difficult to hit due to their narrowness. In 2022, the driving accuracy numbers dipped down to 62%, the lowest mark at this event since 2000.
It’s also important to note that even with toughened fairways it doesn’t necessarily mean that Deere Run will play much tougher than it has in the past. The last two winners have both reached 21-under par for the week.
Overall, Deere Run has produced the most birdies on the PGA of any course since 2000. Players who don’t give themselves an above-average number of birdie or eagle chances are unlikely to have success around this shotmaker’s course.
Odds: Top 10 (Courtesy of FanDuel):
Sungjae Im +1400
Sepp Straka +1600
Denny McCarthy +2000
Jordan Spieth +2000
Aaron Rai +2000
Davis Thompson +2800
Maverick McNealy +3000
Keith Mitchell +3000
J.T. Poston +3500
Nick Dunlap +3500
Keys To Victory:
The winner on Sunday should be deep in the red numbers. Eleven of the last 14 winners of the tournament have posted 72-hole scores of 20-under or lower, led by Michael Kim’s 27-under in 2018, which won by eight shots. Straka shot 21-under last year.
Players with great approach games who are accurate from 175 yards and in are the types who have thrived the most consistently at Deere Run. This course offers seven par 4s that will play well under 450 yards this week but doesn’t offer the typical drivable par 4s that favor better drivers. That means the advantage is uniquely with the short to mid-iron specialists who will also thrive on the two par 3s that come in well under 200 yards.
Pure putters have thrived here in the past as well due to the flawless bentgrass greens at Deere Run. Known for being some of the purest on the PGA TOUR, the greens will see an inordinate amount of mid-range putts holed . In 2022, players holed 18% of their putts from 15 to 25 feet, which was the fifth-highest make-percentage from that range that season.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock
