Some of the best golfers in the world will make their way to the TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois for the John Deere Classic this week. The final tournament displaced by the 2016 Rio Olympics will take place directly against the summer games with this tournament bumped up a month in order to accommodate the events taking place in Brazil. The one guarantee for this week will be that a new champion is crowned as Jordan Spieth will not compete as the defending champion and a two-time winner of the John Deere Classic. The other big names that will be absent from action this week include Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, which makes this tournament wide open for the taking.
Event Details
Event: John Deere Classic
Category: PGA
Date: August 11-14
Location: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
Positioning this event against the Olympics and so soon after a run of two majors and a WGC event in less than a month has hindered the field for this year’s John Deere Classic but there is still some considerable talent at the top. With $4.8 million in prize money on the line there will certainly be plenty of intrigue at this week’s event.
Past Five Winners
2015: Jordan Spieth -20 (Playoff)
2014: Brian Harman -22
2013: Jordan Spieth -19 (Playoff)
2012: Zach Johnson -20 (Playoff)
2011: Steve Striker -22
What To Know About The Course
Driving Distance will not be the most relevant statistic at this week’s event and Driving Accuracy hasn’t necessarily been a prerequisite to winning either. The one thing that is guaranteed is that a number of golfers will be in the mix for the win with a good chance this tournament comes down to the wire once again. Six of the last seven winners have reached at least 20-under-par and three of the last four John Deere Classic tournaments have ended in a playoff. Greens In Regulation is the most important statistic to consider for this week while putting numbers should also factor greatly in to the equation.
The Field
Spieth will not compete in this week’s tournament but Zach Johnson will be in the field and it should be no surprise that the 2012 winner is the outright betting favorite. Johnson, who won here in a playoff with a 20-under-par score in 2012, is listed at +700 odds to win this tournament outright. Steve Stricker, John Rahm, Daniel Summerhays and Kevin Na round out the top-five picks in terms of the sports betting odds to win the John Deere Classic outright and the lack of elite talent at the top will make this tournament seem that much more wide open.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Daniel Summerhays over John Rahm
Summerhays might not be the most dominant golfer in the field but he has finished no worse than tied for 13th in his last three starts at TPC Deere Run and that kind of consistency makes him that much more trustworthy on the course this week. Summerhays has also rounded in to form of late with a third place finish at the PGA Championship followed by a T-11th at the Travelers Championship. Rahm has shown flashes of his elite potential since turning pro including a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open but we like Summerhays in this head-to-head matchup because of his consistency and experience at this venue.
Top-Five Pick: Zach Johnson
Speaking of golfers that excel at this venue, there is no better pick for this week than Johnson. The veteran golfer has struggled in each of his last two starts but the John Deere Classic will be the perfect opportunity for him to get back on track. Johnson has recorded a win, three runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes at TPC Deere Run since 2009 and he has recorded 28 straight sub-70 rounds at this course. Johnson is the obvious favorite to win this week and he should be a lock to finish in the top-five pick at the John Deere Classic.
Top 10 Odds To Win The John Deere Classic
Zach Johnson +605
Steve Stricker +1215
Jon Rahm +1415
Daniel Summerhays +1850
Kevin Na +2050
Ryan Moore +2050
Gary Woodland +2550
Wesley Bryan +2850
Robert Streb +3050
Brian Harman +3250
