Aldrich Potgieter just keeps on creating history. The 20-year-old South African- who currently leads the PGA Tour in Driving Distance for the season- joined an elite club with his playoff victory at last week’s Rocket Classic, becoming just the 5th non-American player to win on the PGA Tour before turning 21 (joining the likes of McIlroy and Ballesteros).
2025 US PGA Tour
John Deere Classic
TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
3rd-6th July
Aldrich Potgieter just keeps on creating history. The 20-year-old South African- who currently leads the PGA Tour in Driving Distance for the season- joined an elite club with his playoff victory at last week’s Rocket Classic, becoming just the 5th non-American player to win on the PGA Tour before turning 21 (joining the likes of McIlroy and Ballesteros). He lost in a playoff in February’s Mexico Open and must have feared the worse after a tepid start to his final round. But he showed true grit down the stretch and managed to outlast the American duo of Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk in a tense five-man playoff. The tour moves to Illinois this week for the latest installment of the John Deere Classic.
For some time, the John Deere Classic was the final PGA Tour pitstop ahead of the Open Championship. That was until the PGA Tour opted to co-sanction the 2022 Scottish Open alongside the DP World Tour (creating a mini transatlantic swing in the process). That partnership has endured and this will be the 4th successive renewal of this event hosted two weeks before the Open Championship. Originally known as the Quad Cities Open, this tournament started life as a satellite event back in 1971 (it became a regular US PGA Tour event a year later). The event has been held at TPC Deere Run in Silvis since the turn of the millennium. The tournament garnered massive fanfare back in 2005-2006, with Michelle Wie receiving exemptions in an- unsuccessful- attempt to break down gender barriers in the game. Moreover, Jordan Spieth won here in 2013, becoming the first teenager to win on tour since 1931 (heralding the arrival of a mammoth new talent). Davis Thompson blitzed the field last year, winning by four strokes in a tournament-record 28-under-par. The field is understandably depleted ahead of the upcoming Open Championship.
Designed by D.A Weibring and located on Native American settlements, TPC Deere run is a par 71 that stretches to almost 7,300 yards. It is notable for consistently ranking amongst the easiest par 71’s on the entire PGA Tour, allowing players to accumulate some confidence ahead of the upcoming links odyssey (Paul Goydos shot a 59 here back in 2010). What you do off the tee is largely irrelevant around this inviting layout. The keys to success around TPC Deere Run is accurate iron-play and a decisive short-game (Jordan Spieth’s success here is evidence of that). Zach Johnson is the prototypical course specialist, winning this title once and finishing runner-up on three occasions. This is actually a course that can throw up some unusual winners (Frittelli, Kim and Thompson come to mind).
A two-time winner on this year’s tour, the uber-consistent Ben Griffin will go off as a logical favourite this Fourth of July weekend. Griffin closed with 62 here last season and should feel confident of picking up a 3rd 2025 PGA Tour title. 13-time PGA Tour winner Jason Day has shown minor signs of improvement this season, finishing in a tie for 4th at the recent Travelers Championship. Denny McCartney has played solidly in this event while J.T. Poston has shot 13 consecutive sub-70 rounds at TPC Deere Run. Also, the industrious South Korean pair of Si Woo-Kim and Sungjae Im will be licking their lips this week, with many of the top guys absent with Royal Portrush around the corner. Defending champ Davis Thompson has been in uneven form and could do with a pick-me-up this week.
Past Winners
2024: Davis Thompson (-28)
2023: Sepp Straka (-21)
2022: J.T Poston (-25)
2021: Lucas Glover (-19)
2020: event cancelled
Betting Favourites (To Win): Ben Griffin (14/1), Jason Day (25/1), Denny McCartney (25/1), J.T. Poston (28/1), Chris Kirk (30/1)
Value Bets
Sungjae Im- To Win (33/1)
2021 Vegas winner Sungjae Im shot two 64’s here last season, finishing on 20-under-par. That was only good enough for a T12 finish. That illustrates just how many birdies you have to get this week. The Korean hasn’t picked up a top ten in eight starts but could break that streak in this birdie-fest. Im currently ranks 3rd on tour for Overall Putting Average and 9th for Total Birdies. Im gets plenty of circles on the card and should thrive in this relatively weak field.
Cameron Champ- To Win (66/1)
Three-time PGA Tour winner Cameron Champ will be hugely motivated as he continues his pursuit of regaining his full PGA Tour playing privileges. Champ comes into this event in good form, finishing T9 at the Canadian Open and T19 at last week’s Rocket Classic. He is long off the tee and usually a reliable putter. He has experience in this event, with a career-best finish of T11. He arrives in solid form and could be one to watch in the place markets.
The Man to Beat- Michael Thorbjornsen- To Win (30/1)
23-year-old American Michael Thorbjornsen has played just 35 professional events and already has two runner-up finishes. He finished a stroke behind Garrick Higgo at this year’s Corales Puntacana Championship. More crucially, he finished runner-up here last season (in just his 3rd full start). He withdrew from the Charles Schwab Classic due to a wrist injury and only returned to action at last week’s Rocket Classic. He showed very little ring-rust last week, finishing in a tie for 4th in a crowded field.
