Patrick Flavin, Christopher Gotterup achieve mission at John Deere Classic
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SILVIS, ILLINOIS - JULY 01: Patrick Flavin of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the second round of the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on July 01, 2022 in Silvis, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
SILVIS, Ill. — A bogey on the 72nd hole almost cost Patrick Flavin a top-10 finish at the John Deere Classic and a ticket to compete in this week’s Barbasol Championship.
He was tied for 11th after a closing 66, but by the end of the day enough players fell back to put the 27-year-old from suburban Chicago in a three-way tie for 10th. For a second week, Flavin won’t have to attempt to Monday qualify, which he successfully has done five times this year.
In the John Deere Classic on a sponsor’s exemption, Flavin achieved a bigger goal than another TOUR start while playing alongside 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson on Sunday. His T-10 all but ensured he’ll meet the non-member FedExCup points threshold to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying tournament later this year.
Jokingly, Flavin even suggested Sunday that he’d also made headway toward a really, really big goal.
“Step one to making the Ryder Cup team is playing well with the captain,” he said, earning laughs from a gaggle of media.
Certainly, the eager TOUR hopeful got Captain Zach’s attention with a closing round that was eight strokes fewer than Johnson’s own.
“I kind of felt like I was in his way at times,” said Johnson, the 2012 John Deere Classic winner whose Sunday 74 was just his second over-par round at TPC Deere Run in his last 48 trips around the Silvis course. “The man really played solid. Going into the 18th hole, he had seven putts on the last nine holes. Seven putts. It was very impressive.”
Also in the John Deere Classic field on a sponsor’s invite, Christopher Gotterup rallied from a sluggish Sunday start with a chip-in birdie at No. 9 and three straight closing birdies to briefly vault into a share of second, with one of three exemptions into The Open Championship in reach. Ultimately, he finished T4 with a 5-under 66. Winner J.T. Poston and runners-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Emiliano Grillo earned The Open Championship berths.
Like Flavin, Gotterup all but ensured he’ll make the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying finals, however. The 2022 Haskins Award winner as College Player of the Year, Gotterup planned to head home to New Jersey late Sunday and then decide whether he will use his top-10 finish to play at the Barbasol. Starting with the U.S. Open, he has played four of the past five weeks.
“I need a day to two to get my feet under me, see my family, dogs, and get back to normal a little bit,” said Gotterup, who also has potential starts at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic in his sights.
His closing round of 5-under 66 and 17-under total of 267 provide Gotterup the confidence he can compete on TOUR.
“Validation that I do belong out here,” he said.
Gotterup advanced to ninth in non-member FedExCup points with 155 and Flavin is a spot behind with 146. They need only exceed the 200th leading official points list, currently 79, by season’s end to advance to Qualifying Finals.