Event Overview:
The Players head to Illinois this week for a drop in quality in terms of course and field strength. In fact, 5 of the last 10 winners here have been first-time PGA Tour winners.
Illinois native and former PGA pro D.A. Weibring designed TPC Deere Run, which is located along the Rock River and has hosted the PGA TOUR event since 2000.
Along the course’s natural contours, there are also little ponds and deep ravines; however, from a risk perspective, these don’t really come into play. There are no residences here at TPC Deere Run. Still, there is a beautiful landscape, a dramatic shift in elevation, hardwood trees, and lots of risk/reward hitting into smaller than typical TOUR greens. This typical resort course is picturesque to the eye but not overly challenging, especially to a player at the top of their game. The easy challenge is backed up by winning scores of 18, 21, 22 & 27 under par over the past four years, and we can expect very much the same this week. I would be shocked if the winning score wasn’t better than 20 under par.
The TPC Deere Run course cannot be attacked without planning, so it’s not all plain sailing. Players will need to make plenty of birdies, that’s for sure, if they want any chance of a top 10. The fairways are where to make birdies; players who play the majority of shots from the short grass will be at an advantage. TPC Deere Run’s main challenge is from the rough. Hitting greens from the rough is one of the course’s main defensives.
John Deere Classic 2022 – Event & Course Details:
| Course: | TPC Deere Run |
| Location: | Silvis, IL |
| Date: | June 30 – 3rd July |
| Par: | 71 |
| Yardage: | 7,268 |
| Purse: | $6.2 Million / Winner $1.1 M |
| Fairways/Rough: | Bentgrass / Kentucky Bluegrass |
| Greens: | Bentgrass |
| Defending Champion: | Lucas Glover 2021 |
Key Skill Sets Required:
01. SG T2G
With a super low winning score, expect T2G performance to be critical as it is most weeks on the PGA Tour. Players will need to be gaining strokes over their competitors to have any chance of lifting the trophy come Sunday.
02. Fairways Gained/Good Drives Gained
This course poses very few challenges to the world’s best players by PGA Tour standards. However, one statical area stands out: the difficulty of approach play when missing the fairways. TPC Deere Run is one of the most challenging courses on tour for approach play from the rough. Hitting fairways and plenty of them is a distinct advantage. Look for players who excel when it comes to driving the ball.
03. Par 4 Scoring
Quite simply, to win this event, you must make lots of birdies, and you must dominate the Par 4’s. Players who contend here take advantage of one of the most straightforward courses on the tour regarding Par 4 scoring.
04. Birdies or Better
The data tells us you need to make plenty of birdies here at TPC Deere Run, at least 6 per round or over 24 from the four days of play. A birdie every three holes is some ask, but that is the requirement to challenge. Let’s look for those aggressive golfers who look to attack the pins and have the ability to get up and down when naturally they miss a green or two.
05. SG Putting
Typically, putting is a critical factor in these low-scoring events. You must be rolling your rock good over all four days to have any chance of taking home the trophy. Look for players who excel on the Bentgrass putting surfaces the players face this week.
John Deere Classic 2022 – Best Outsiders to consider
1. Taylor Pendrith 80/1🇬🇧 +8000 BetMGM🇺🇸
- Some good finishes in high class events recently, 13th at The Players, 16th at the Farmers and 25th at The Honda.
- Gained strokes in a all key skill set areas last time out.
- Ranked in the top 20 for Par 3 scoring and SG total over the past 24 rounds on tour.
- Ranked in the top 20% for GIR gained over the past 24 rounds on tour.
2. Mark Hubbard 66/1🇬🇧 + 6600 BetMGM🇺🇸
- 5 cuts made in a row
- Gained strokes putting in each of his last 4 events.
- Ranked top 30 for SG par 4 scoring over the past 24 rounds.
- Ranked in top 20 for bogey avoidance over the past 24 rounds.
- Lots of positives pointing in the direction of a good showing.
John Deere Classic 2022 – Best Outright Picks
1. Steve Stricker 100/1🇬🇧 +10000 BetMGM🇺🇸
- In good form with a 2ND place at the US Senior Open last week, shooting 6 under par on the final day.
- A 3-time winner of this event in 2009, 2010, 2011 with 4 other top 10 finishes.
- A superb driver of the ball which will be advantageous here as the only defense for the course is the rough.
- A quality putter who can roll his rock as good as any in the field this week
2. Cam Davis 50/1🇬🇧 +5000 BetMGM 🇺🇸
- 2 top 10s in his last 6 starts shows his game is close.
- Gained strokes with approach play in each of his last 9 events.
- Gained strokes putting in each of his last 8 events.
- Ranked 1st par 3 scoring over the last 24 rounds.
- Ranked 11th bogey avoidance over the last 24 rounds.
3. Adam Schenk 50/1🇬🇧 +5000 BetMGM🇺🇸
- 2 top 30’s in his last 2 events with super strong fields, US Open & Memorial.
- Ranked 12Th SG T2G gained over the past 24 rounds.
- Ranked 12th in Par 4 scoring over the past 24 rounds.
- Ranked 7TH in Par 4 scoring over the past 24 rounds on short courses.
- Putts his best on Bentgrass green, gained strokes putting in 5 of his last 6 events.
4. Brendon Todd 33/1🇬🇧 +3300 BetMGM🇺🇸
- 3 top 20’s in his last 6 starts.
- Putts his best on Bentgrass greens like he faces this week.
- Ranked 1st in fairways found over past 24 rounds, a key factor this week.
- Ranked 4th SG Total over the last 24 rounds on tour.
- Ranked 11th in par 4 scoring over the past 24 rounds on tour.
5. JT Poston 45/1🇬🇧 +4500 BetMGM🇺🇸
- Arrives on the back of a 2nd place at the Travelers.
- Quoted as saying his game is in real good shape and he’s excited about what’s to come.
- 3 top 10’s in his last 7 starts worldwide
- Gained strokes in all key skill areas last week.
- Gained strokes putting in 6 of his last 8 events.
