Updated
Updated · SportsLine · Jun 29
SportsLine Simulates John Deere Classic 10,000 Times, Sees Ben Griffin Miss Top 5
Updated
Updated · SportsLine · Jun 29

SportsLine Simulates John Deere Classic 10,000 Times, Sees Ben Griffin Miss Top 5

1 articles · Updated · SportsLine · Jun 29

Summary

  • 10,000 simulations of the 2026 John Deere Classic by SportsLine project co-favorite Ben Griffin to finish outside the top five, one of the model's main upset calls before Thursday's start.
  • Pierceson Coody emerged as a leading value pick at +3300, while the model also flagged another longshot near +3500 as a potential contender.
  • FanDuel lists Griffin and Chris Gotterup as +1500 co-favorites, ahead of Keith Mitchell at +2000 and Jackson Koivun, J.T. Poston and Keegan Bradley at +2200.
  • The tournament is the final U.S.-based 500-point event before the Open Championship and begins at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, with several bigger names skipping the week.

Insights

With top stars skipping, will the PGA Tour's radical 2028 changes save historic tournaments like the John Deere Classic?
Can a simulation model that picks a +3300 longshot to win truly predict golf champions better than veteran oddsmakers?
When a model doubts a favorite with strong course history, should bettors trust the algorithm or the athlete's past performance?