Updated

Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jun 29

John Deere Classic Draws 7 Notable Golfers as Jordan Spieth Seeks 1st PGA Tour Win Since 2022

Updated

Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jun 29

John Deere Classic Draws 7 Notable Golfers as Jordan Spieth Seeks 1st PGA Tour Win Since 2022

Q: Can former champion Jordan Spieth rekindle his past magic at TPC Deere Run to end his winless streak?

Yes, but the evidence suggests Spieth is more a plausible contender than a clear favorite. TPC Deere Run is one of the better places for him to try. Spieth won the John Deere Classic in 2013 and 2015, both in playoffs, so he has real history on this course and knows how to score here. That matters at a venue where comfort and confidence can quickly translate into birdie runs. His current form, however, is mixed. Spieth is still looking for his first victory since the 2022 RBC Heritage and has gone 91 PGA Tour events without a win. This season he has been steady enough to avoid many missed cuts, but he has not produced a top-10 finish. He arrives off a T66 at the Travelers, though he did close with a 67, and his year has been defined by flashes of elite shot-making undermined by costly mistakes. There are some reasons for optimism. He is further removed from the wrist surgery he underwent in August 2024, and he has shown occasional signs that his ball-striking is improving. On a course that tends to reward aggressive scoring rather than survival golf, Spieth’s creativity and putting touch could make him dangerous if he avoids the doubles that have hurt him elsewhere. Still, based on recent results, expecting a win would be a reach. A more realistic view is that Deere Run gives Spieth one of his best opportunities this season to contend deep into Sunday, but he needs cleaner, less volatile golf to actually end the drought.

Q: With so many stars slumping, could a rookie finally claim this year's John Deere Classic?

Yes. This John Deere Classic looks unusually open, and that gives a rookie or near-rookie a real chance. The established names in the field bring pedigree but not much momentum. Jordan Spieth has made cuts consistently yet still has no top-10 this season. Rickie Fowler has shown flashes, including a runner-up in March, but also arrived after a run of missed cuts. Max Homa and Tony Finau are still searching for sustained form, while Keegan Bradley and Ben Griffin have been solid rather than dominant. In a non-signature event without Scottie Scheffler or Viktor Hovland, that matters. TPC Deere Run also has a history of rewarding emerging players. Spieth won here as a teenager in 2013, and the event has long been one of the Tour’s better openings for first-time or breakthrough winners because the field is typically less top-heavy. Data Golf’s view of Deere Run as one of the less predictive regular stops also suggests more volatility than at elite venues. The most credible young threat is Michael Thorbjornsen. He is not a rookie in the strictest sense, but he is still early in his Tour career and has already shown he can contend here, finishing runner-up at Deere Run in 2024 after a T17 as an amateur in 2023. Jackson Koivun’s pro debut adds intrigue as well; he arrives as the world’s top-ranked amateur and already owns strong PGA Tour starts. So while a veteran could easily win, this is exactly the kind of week where a newcomer can break through.

3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jun 29

TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, hosts a thinner post-Travelers field this week, but seven recognizable PGA Tour names still headline the John Deere Classic.
Jordan Spieth tops that group as he chases his first Tour victory since 2022; he has missed only two cuts this season but has yet to post a top-10 finish.
Rickie Fowler, Ben Griffin and Keith Mitchell arrive with the steadiest recent form—Fowler has four top-10s, Griffin has two third-place finishes in two months, and Mitchell was T4 at the U.S. Open.
Keegan Bradley, Max Homa and Tony Finau round out the marquee names, though all three are still looking for stronger 2026 results after uneven recent seasons.
The event follows a dramatic Travelers Championship that ended Monday morning with Viktor Hovland beating Scottie Scheffler in a playoff.