The PGA Tour swings over to TPC Deere Run in Illinois for the John Deere Classic and if it matches the tension levels of the Travelers Championship last weekend, then we could be in for a treat. Xander Schauffele toiled at times at the Travelers Championship before a three-stroke swing on the final hole saw him prevail and lift his sixth PGA Tour title.
While the John Deere Classic will comprise a much-weakened field there are still a few illuminating stats about this event that will make it worth tuning in for:
- TPC Deere Run is a par-71 (7,289 yards) which is fairly short, so could turn out to be a birdie fest.
- Paul Goydos holds the course record for the lowest round posted — a 59 in 2010.
- There are three qualifying spots up for grabs at the Deere Classic for The Open at St Andrew’s.
- Michael Kim is still clinging onto the 72-hole record (257) which he achieved in 2018.
- Lucas Glover — who is the defending champion — became just the seventh player to win a PGA Tour title in three different decades.
With The Open looming large, there will be plenty of wagers placed at reputable sports betting events for the John Deere Classic as fans will want some clues to how the field is shaping up. To raise anticipation levels for the John Deere Classic, we have zoned in on a couple of tips to fill your betting slip with.
Webb Simpson ready to end PGA Tour drought
It’s been over two years since Webb Simpson last won a PGA Tour title (Waste Management Phoenix Open), so the American is long overdue a win. The American — who captured the US Open in 2012 — hasn’t troubled the leaderboard too much in 2022. However, he’s coming off the back of a T13 at the Travelers Championship last weekend which will give him some confidence.
Simpson currently ranks 28th in the PGA stats for driving accuracy (66.09%), and he is 14th for putts made from 10 feet, which will stand him in good stead this week. TPC Deere Run has plenty of risk-reward holes and if his putter is red hot, Simpson could well take some stopping. There is no doubting Simpson’s credentials as he has already bagged seven PGA Tour titles and this could well be his week. As mentioned, the field has been weakened, especially when you consider Daniel Berger withdrew from injury, so Simpson is the highest-ranked player (58th).
If you like the look of the outright market, then Simpson is trading at +1100 to enter the winner’s circle come Sunday with Sugarhouse.
A wire-to-wire winner?
The last few editions of the John Deere Classic haven’t witnessed too much drama on the final day, and Kim enjoyed one of the most emphatic victories in the tournament four years ago, as he roared to an eight-stroke win. While closing things out is never easy on the PGA Tour (just ask Schauffele!), this could be one of those weeks where the winner might do so in wire-to-wire fashion.
We have gone with Simpson to prevail this week and we aren’t deviating away from it. TPC Deere Run has some very tricky par-4s and some dramatic elevations. Simpson has shown at times throughout his career that he can be a good frontrunner. If you fancy the champion to be a wire-to-wire winner at the John Deere Classic, then you can get odds of +1200 with BetMGM, which could be worth jumping on. The same operator is also carrying odds of +700 for Simpson to be in the final group in the final round, so you should keep your eyes peeled on him.
