Opportunity knocks: Davis Thompson, Eric Cole, Aaron Rai, others eye maiden TOUR title at John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. – Over its 50-plus years, the John Deere Classic has had more than a few names. But for more than half of its 52 previous iterations, it could have worn the title of "Opportunity Knocks Open."

The Quad Cities has seen 23 of its champions leave with their first PGA TOUR title, and, come Sunday afternoon, there very well could be a 24th.

Third-round leader Davis Thompson and eight of his 10 closest pursuers will be seeking that coveted maiden victory when the final round of the 2024 John Deere Classic begins.

The stakes are considerable.

For all but one, the $1.44 million winner’s share of an $8 million purse is on the line. There’s also 500 FedEx Cup points, a two-year TOUR exemption and entry into next April’s Masters Tournament, among countless other perks.

For the two highest finishing players not otherwise qualified, berths in The Open Championship two weeks hence at Royal Troon also await.

Yes. Opportunity is knocking. Loudly.

“Everybody is hungry,” Thompson said. “That’s what makes it difficult out here. There are a lot of losers out here every week. At the end of the day, your goal is to win the golf tournament.”

For Thompson and Aaron Rai, this John Deere could be called "Opportunity Knocks for the Second Consecutive Sunday Open."

The two young players shared second place at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, each a shot shy of Cam Davis’ winning total.

Joined by reigning TOUR Rookie of the Year Eric Cole, Thompson and Rai will play in Sunday’s final threesome, Rai for a second straight week.

Thompson charged to a two-shot lead with a bogey-free, 9-under round of 62 that was Saturday’s best. The second-year TOUR pro will be looking to close the deal after three career runner-up finishes, including a pair this year. In addition to the Rocket Mortgage and Myrtle Beach Classic in May, he finished second at the 2023 American Express, where he last held a 54-hole lead.

“My goal tomorrow is just hit the first tee shot on one and then the second shot and the third shot and just stack good shots on top of each other,” he said. “I feel like I have been playing well. Just tried to keep it going (this week.) Yeah. Hopefully, I’ve got one more good one in me tomorrow.”

A third-year TOUR member from England, Rai played his way into the final trio by birdying Saturday’s 18th hole with a tidy 167-yard approach to within 12 feet to complete a 5-under round of 66.

He started the previous Sunday in a share of the lead, but failed to close in Detroit. Rai came to TPC Deere Run looking to continue a solid run rather than seeking retribution.

“I felt in a really good place coming into this week and just tried to approach it the same way,” he said.

Despite a breakout 2023 rookie campaign at the age of 35, Cole, too, is seeking his maiden win after twice finishing second last year.

“I think trying to win a PGA TOUR event is a great spot to be in,” he said. “Having been in that position at least I know I’m not going to be all that comfortable but that’s a good thing. To go out there and feel some nerves will be fun.”

Those three players won’t be alone in feeling the pressure of seeking their first win. Of the next eight closest pursuers, only C.T. Pan (T4, 17-under) and J.J. Spaun (T6, 16-under) previously have won on TOUR.

Pan is tied with Hayden Springer, author of a first-round 59. He rebounded from a second-round, even-par 71 with a Saturday 66 and looks forward to chasing the rewards available Sunday, nerves notwithstanding.

Pan and Springer are joined in sixth place by two very promising youngsters. Michael Thorbjornsen finds himself in contention in his third start as a professional after finishing atop the PGA TOUR University Rankings in May. He played his way onto the first page of the leaderboard with a Saturday 66 and is playing a familiar track, having finished T17 as an amateur at TPC Deere Run last year. That was one of seven TOUR starts he experienced since 2019.

“Yeah, it just feels like another tournament at this point, very similar to last year,” he said.

Luke Clanton won’t be thinking about the winner’s check. The Florida State junior is making his third TOUR start as an amateur and finds himself in contention for a second straight Sunday. After tying for 10th last week, he carded a 4-under round of 67 Saturday while doing the CBS walk-and-talk.

In a sense, he is freewheeling, with no check on the line, but there are rewards beyond. The two-year TOUR ticket. An Open berth. The Masters. It’s all there.

“I’m good. Yeah, I'm fine,” he said. “I'm having fun just playing golf right now. I have gotten that question asked a couple times over the last couple weeks and I've said the same thing. Like it’s golf. Trying to play the best I can, no matter what comes with it comes with it. I’m 20 years old still trying to figure out what I'm doing, so I know there is a lot on the line, but I'm here to play golf.”

Opportunity also will be knocking for Carson Young, Rico Hoey, Sami Valimaki and Ben Griffin. All are at 15-under and six off the pace and each is seeking a maiden TOUR win.

And on a golf course that already has yield a 59, a 61, a pair of 62s, multiple 63s and played to a cumulative scoring average of 68.89 this week, can anyone within seven or eight shots of the lead be ruled out?

That’s a pack of 18 players, many with wins on their resumes. And, most notably, it’s a group that includes Jordan Spieth, who, of course, answered opportunity’s knock at Deere Run as a teen in 2013.

Knock. Knock.