John Deere Classic: Expert Picks

Tournament Information

John Deere Classic

Date: July 12^th – 15^th

Course: TPC Deere Run

Purse: $5.6MM ($1MM)

FedEx points: 500 to the winner

2017 Winner: Bryson DeChambeau (-18)

Course

TPC Deere Run. Designed in 2000 by D.A. Weibring, this 7,250 yard part 71 course running along the Rock River is a precursor to the British Open. It has many elevation changes with scenic overviews of forestry all over. The roughs are damaging and difficult to get out of and accuracy is an important characteristic to have.

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Starting 4

Johnson Wagner (1^st selection this year) Johnson was a among the better PGA golfers, and then he wasn’t. he seems to be falling back into good graces this year with just two missed cuts in his last ten tournaments including two top 20 finishes over that time. He has two fifth place finishes in his last 3 years at TPC Deere Run and could be a sneaky good pickup here.

Wesley Bryan (1^st selection this year). With an 8^thplace finish in 2016 and a third place finish last year, he is one of the best here in recent memory. Five consecutive cuts made for Wesley who is 15^thin strokes gained around the green and 23^rd in strokes gained putting, both key for a place with a lot of elevation changes.

Ryan Moore (2^nd selection this year). His last ten tournaments have yielded four top twenty finishes, three missed cuts and No finish between 31-65. Given his recent record at TPC Deere Run (24^thhere in 2015 and winner here in 2016) I think he can be a top twenty finish this week. He is currently 24^th in strokes gained approaching the green, 13^thin strokes gained around the green and 21^st in total strokes gained.

Zach Johnson (4^th selection this year). No golfer has finished in the top 20 over the last three consecutive years. Zach has finished in the top 35 and is the only golfer to do so. He is currently 29^thin total strokes gained with back to back top twenty finishes.

Bench 2

Daniel Summerhays (1^st selection this year). Daniel enters the John Deere Classic with five consecutive missed cuts. The good news is that he has two top fifteen finishes here in the last three years and that makes him a good sleeper for the course. Additionally he’s 8^th this season in strokes gained putting.

Scott Stallings (1^st selection this year). Despite a bunch of missed cuts this year, Scott stands in the top 100 in Fedex points due largely to his pedigree when he does not miss a cut. In the fourteen tournaments where he made the cut he has finished in the top 31 in seven of those including a 13^th place finish last week at Greenbrier. He has back to back top 20 finishes at Deere run.

2018 Stats

(avg field of 134 golfers):

Starting 4: Average Finish 45th (33rd percentile)

Bench 2: Average Finish 49th (37th percentile)

Missed cuts: average of 1.5 per tournament