THE OVERVIEW SILVIS, Ill. – Tweet, tweet, tweet. Get ready for another birdie blitz at the John Deere Classic. No course on TOUR yielded more birdies (30,042) than TPC Deere Run between 2000-2016. And second place isn’t not even close. TPC River Highlands was next at 26,516. “If you get content with just hitting a couple fairways and greens and making a couple putts you’re probably going to get passed by,â€� said 2012 winner Zach Johnson. “Aggressive mentality is one thing. But I like to play it as almost like a conservative aggressive approach. … I know there are certain pins you can get after and certain pins you probably shouldn’t. “I think that’s the beauty of this track. It does have some teeth if you’re overly aggressive and does have some teeth if you’re off. That’s why we see a separation (between players), too.â€� Since 2003, the par-4 scoring average at TPC Deere Run has been the lowest of any course played on TOUR (minimum 60,000 holes played). Players have averaged 3.997 on the two-shotters at TPC Deere Run, narrowly making it the lone course where the par-4 scoring average is below par. For added excitement, there were 83 hole-outs at last year’s John Deere Classic. Only TPC Southwind (86) allowed more last season. The winning score at TPC Deere Run, which has hosted the tournament since 2000, has never been worse than 16-under 268, and the winner has broken the 20-under barrier in seven of the past eight years. The exception was Jordan Spieth’s victory in 2013, when he shot 19 under. Steve Stricker set the tournament scoring record, 26-under 258, in his 2010 win. Why all the low scores? TPC Deere Run’s fairways were the second-easiest to hit last season, with players finding the short grass on 74.5 percent of tee shots. The course also had the third-lowest proximity to the hole on approach shots of 150-175 yards last season (26 feet, 9 inches). The course’s generous disposition, and the softening of the course thanks to a few storms, should set us up for another shootout in Silvis, Illinois. Berger may be making his debut at TPC Deere Run, but he is coming in pretty hot. He won the FedEx St. Jude Classic and lost a playoff at the Travelers Championship to Jordan Spieth’s dramatic bunker hole-out. Berger is ninth in the FedExCup and well on his way to representing Team USA in the Presidents Cup. A winner here in 2014, Harman has added another title to his resume with his win over FedExCup leader Dustin Johnson at the Wells Fargo Championship. Harman also was runner-up at the U.S. Open, and currently ranks eighth on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting and 17th in birdie-or-better percentage. Leads the Power Rankings this week as he trends towards something big. A solo eighth at the U.S. Open and T3 at the Travelers Championship in his last two starts are among five top-10s in 2017. Also led for a long time at The Masters. Seems destined to take it through four rounds sometime soon. THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER Rank PLAYER COMMENT THE FLYOVER A closer look at the 476-yard, par-4 finishing hole. TPC Deere Run saves its toughest for last, testing any player who wants to walk away with the trophy at the John Deere Classic. The hole played to a 4.16 scoring average last year, making it one of just four par-4s at TPC Deere Run to play over par (Nos. 9, 11 and 15 are the others). The hole was birdied approximately 1/7th of the times it was played last year (65 of 453). It was the third-hardest fairway (69.5 percent) to hit at TPC Deere Run last year and second-hardest green (56.3). THE LANDING ZONE The 361-yard, par-4 14th hole gives players an opportunity to take a chance down the stretch. The short par-4 is downhill, putting it within reach from the tee for many players in the field. A bunker protects the front-left of the green, while a steep, shaved slope sits behind the green. This was the third-easiest hole at TPC Deere Run, playing to a 3.704 scoring average. There were 158 birdies on the hole last year, compared to just 18 bogeys and three doubles. WEATHER CHECK TEMPS: Lows will be in the 60s during the week, while the high temperature is due to break 90 on Thursday and sit in the high 80s the remaining days. RAIN: There is a 60 percent chance of rain on Thursday and Friday, and a 50-percent chance before clearing Saturday. There is a 20 percent chance of storms Sunday. WINDS: Wind could get up to 15 mph on Thursday, but the remaining rounds call for 6-12 mph breezes. ODDS AND ENDS 1. MOORE RETURNS: The defending champion is returning from a short injury hiatus. He’s been resting a sore shoulder since the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide in early June. Sitting 61st in the FedExCup, Moore wants to make a charge similar to last season, when he parlayed his win at the John Deere with three top-10 finishes in the Playoffs, including a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy at the TOUR Championship. Moore is 8 for 8 in cuts made at TPC Deere Run, with his last 23 rounds straight being under par. 2. LAST OPEN DOOR: The John Deere Classic is the third and final PGA TOUR event that is part of this year’s Open Qualifying Series, which offers spots in the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The top finisher this week who is not already exempt into The Open (and who finishes among the top five at TPC Deere Run) will earn the last spot into the year’s third major. Last week, Xander Schauffele, Robert Streb, Sebastian Munoz and Jamie Lovemark earned spots in The Open with their finishes at The Greenbrier Classic. 3. VETERAN SUCCESS: Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson might not be yapping at the heels of those leading the FedExCup race this season but the two stalwarts are unquestionably a pair of kings when it comes to TPC Deere Run. Stricker won three consecutive titles from 2009-2012 and has seven top-10 finishes in 15 starts here. Since 2000, Stricker is a 154 under par at TPC Deere Run. Johnson is 153 under. The next best player is Charles Howell III, who is 103 under. Stricker has eight rounds of 64 or better since 2000, while Johnson has five. Johnson won the event in 2012 and has 258 birdies since 2003, the most of any player. Stricker has 241 birdies in that run. Johnson has 39 rounds below 70 since 2000, the most of any player, ahead of Stricker’s 30.
Click here to read the full article…
