The First Look: John Deere Classic

Lucas Glover returns to defend his title with major champions, PGA TOUR winners, and up-and-comers also in the field at TPC Deere Run – with Open Championship spots on the line.

FIELD NOTES: PLAYERS Championship winner Webb Simpson headlines the field… Lucas Glover will look to become the first to successfully defend his title at the Deere since Steve Stricker a decade ago… Sponsor exemptions include Duke graduate Quinn Riley, new pro Chris Gotterup, and Patrick Flavin, who has Monday-qualified into five PGA TOUR events this season… Nine former Deere winners are in the field… Taylor Pendrith is set to make his return to action after suffering a broken rib at THE PLAYERS… Illinois native Nick Hardy, who tied for 14th at the U.S. Open, is back in the field. He made the cut as an amateur at the 2017 Deere.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points.

COURSE: TPC Deere Run, par 71, 7,289 yards. The D.A. Weibring design offers up plenty of birdie opportunities but risk-reward scenarios as well. Weibring, an Illinois native, won the Deere three times before he was tasked with helping to create TPC Deere Run in 1999. There’s lots of dramatic elevation on the course, which used to be an Arabian horse farm. On the same day that Paul Goydos shot the course record, a 59 in 2010, Steve Stricker shot 60.

STORYLINES: The Deere will once again be part of the Open Championship Qualifying Series. There are three spots up for grabs for those who have not already earned a spot at St. Andrews. Still eying a spot: Adam Hadwin, who earned a spot via the Qualifying Series at the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and finished T7 at the U.S. Open… Five of the last 10 winners of the Deere were first-timer TOUR winners… Andrew Ruthkoski is hoping his world-record mojo continues into the Monday qualifier. Ruthkoski, a PGA professional, fired a 17-under 55 in a casual round June 19 to tie the lowest round in golf history. He got through the pre-qualifier for the Deere and is in the field for the Monday qualifier.

72-HOLE RECORD: 257, Michael Kim (2018)

18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Paul Goydos (1st round, 2010)

LAST TIME: Lucas Glover won a TOUR event in the third different decade. He birdied five of his last seven holes for a 7-under 64 Sunday, tied for the low round of the day, to top Ryan Moore and Kevin Na by two. Moore and Na each birdied the second-to-last hole, but Glover’s 19-under-par total was too good. He became just the seventh player to win in the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Four players finished a shot further back at 16 under, tied for fourth. Glover’s win came 10 years after his previous TOUR title, at the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship.

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