This week, the PGA TOUR heads to one of the smallest markets per capita on its schedule for the John Deere Classic, yet the community is arguably the most enthusiastic and one with the biggest heart.
The Quad Cities is a region of five cities—Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa; Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline in Illinois—located along the Mississippi River, straddling the Iowa-Illinois border.
The 2024 John Deere Classic raised a record $15.97 million through its Birdies for Charity program, benefiting 476 local and regional charities. The program ensures that 100% of donations go directly to those in need because title sponsor Deere & Company covers all administrative costs to stage largest annual professional sporting event in the Quad Cities.
Thompson Seeks Two in a Row
Davis Thompson returns to TPC Deere Run in neighboring Silvis, Illinois to defend his title, which he earned one year ago with a tournament record score of 28-under par.
“I take that confidence with me that I can win and compete week in and week out,” Thompson said. “I think about that tournament a lot and try to draw on a lot of positive experiences I have, and John Deere was one of those.”
Seeking his second TOUR victory, 26-year-old Thompson leads a 156-man field with an $8.4 million purse on the line and a winner’s share of $1,512,000. The champion also receives 500 FedEx Cup points. A big motivation for everyone is eligibility for the playoffs, now in their 19th year. For the first time, only those ranked among the top 70 are eligible, reduced from 100 a year ago.
Other returning past John Deere Classic winners include Lucas Glover (2021), Michael Kim (2018), J.T. Poston (2022), and Dylan Frittelli (2019), while Iowa native and two-time major winner Zach Johnson (2012) will tee it up for the 23rd consecutive year.
With so much on the line, the field features some of golf’s most popular players including Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Ben Griffin, Jason Day, Sungae Im, Tom Kim, Denny McCarthy, Si Woo Kim, Chris Kirk, Jake Knapp, and Adam Hadwin. Meanwhile, former Masters champion Danny Willett of England will make his John Deere Classic debut.
A Captain’s Salute
Brandt Snedeker, newly named captain of the 2026 U.S. Presidents Cup team will be returning to a layout he’s very fond of.
“I played the last couple of years. It’s a golf course I love. I feel like they do a great job, and the community supports it unbelievably well,” Snedeker recently told me on the driving range. “The golf course actually sets up really well for me. It’s a place I’ve had some success in early on in my career.”
Back in 2009, Snedeker finished T-2 here, and since then has won 9 times on TOUR, including the 2012 Fed Ex Cup Championship.
As for last year’s tournament record performance by Thompson, Snedeker was quick to provide a warning not to take Deere Run’s reputation for low scoring for granted.
“Yes, exactly. The reason why I love this golf course so much is if you’re playing good, you can go out there and shoot a really good number. But if you’re off, you’re going to get found out pretty quick. You realize that there’s not a lot of room for error but if you’re driving the ball well, there’s lots of birdie opportunities, and even eagle opportunities,” Snedeker added. “If you’re putting well, I feel like you can make every putt on those greens because they’re all so good in the summer. So, it’s a week where when you’re on, it’s so much fun because you can shoot a low any time, but if you’re playing awful, you get found out pretty quick. Even though the scores are low, you still have to go out there and execute shots and know that it rewards that.”
Insert Snedeker Photo Provided
44-year-old Snedeker is enjoying his escape playing inside the ropes before serving as vice-captain to Keegan Bradley at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage in September before taking the helm for the Americans at Medinah No. 3 in Chicago next year.
“We’re thrilled with our field,” said tournament director Andrew Lehman. “We have a good mix of players. Veterans who have had a lot of success on Tour as well as a lot of hungry young guys looking to make a name for themselves and take the next step in their careers.”
Youth Movement
Playing on a sponsor exemption as an amateur at the time, Florida State standout Luke Clanton had one of those weeks finishing runner-up with Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen last year and both are back for more. Three 2025 Walker Cup team members, who were named after being awarded sponsor exemptions here, Jackson Koivun, Ben James, and reigning NCAA individual champion Michael La Sasso – are also in the field. Brendan Valdes, Koivun’s former teammate on Auburn’s 2024 national championship team, and the highly accomplished Preston Summerhays of Arizona State, who already has played in three U.S. Opens, will also tee it up this week. While Valdes and Summerhays recently turned pro, Koivun and James are headed back to Auburn and Virginia, respectively, for their senior seasons. North Carolina Tar Heel David Ford who finished No. 1 in the PGA Tour University standings to earn a coveted PGA TOUR card is here as a professional as is former Vanderbilt star Gordon Sargeant, who recently earned his pro status while still in college.
Several players with regional ties made certain to be here. Former Illinois golfers Brian Campbell, winner of this year’s Mexico Open; Nick Hardy of the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, co-winner with Davis Riley of the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event; and Doug Ghim, a native of Des Plaines, Illinois, who played his college golf at Texas, are in. So are Northwestern alums David Lipsky and Dylan Wu.
“Love the golf course and we get to play it at a great time of year. We don’t have many tournaments in the Midwest and the one’s that we do are very special,” Hardy said. “I’m definitely loyal to the John Deere and grateful for sponsor exemptions they gave me early in my journey. The fans are so friendly, the volunteers are amazing, family and friends make the trip, and I see so many familiar faces here.”
Concerts on the Course Saturday and Sunday
For the third consecutive year, the John Deere Classic will present its Concerts on the Course series will bring post-round entertainment to the 18th hole at TPC Deere Run. This week, country music star Dierks Bentley will perform on Saturday while the Zac Brown Band takes the stage on Sunday. The 90-minute shows are scheduled to start 45 minutes after the last putt of each day drops. Purchase of a tournament grounds ticket gets a ticketholder admission to the tournament and the concert. For tickets, visit https://johndeereclassic.com
John Deere’s Connection to the Quad Cities
Helping to build America since its founding in 1837, John Deere has been headquartered in Moline, Illinois, since 1848. The area is notable as the only major bend where the Mississippi River flows east to west, rather than its usual north-to-south direction. This unique geography, combined with its riverfront setting and cross-state connections, defines it as a dynamic and significant region in the Midwest. Deere and Company recently extended its title sponsorship into the next decade.
