SILVIS, ILLINOIS – JULY 09: A general view of the 18th green during the final round of the John … More
The John Deere Classic boasts arguably its most star-studded participant list since the 1996 Quad City Open, which featured a young Tiger Woods.
New rules under the PGA Tour’s relegation policy which affects players outside the top 100 in the world rankings and those without a recent Tour win, have pushed many prominent names into smaller-field, lower-profile events.
No tournament has benefited more from these changes in 2025 than the John Deere Classic. Held in the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of just 400,000, it is the smallest market on the PGA Tour. Its relatively modest purse ($8.4 million), small market size, limited FedEx Cup points, and schedule overlap with the Scottish Open in previous years led to low interest and, at times during the 2010s, no major television coverage.
Despite that, the JDC has long been known as a launching pad for careers. It was the site of the first PGA Tour victories for Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Brian Harman, and Payne Stewart. It also witnessed one of only two instances where Tiger Woods lost after holding or sharing the lead heading into the final round.
SILVIS, ILLINOIS – JULY 06: Denny McCarthy of the United States plays his shot from the 16th tee … More
This year promises similar fireworks, with more big names in the field than usual, including Ben Griffin, Jason Day, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, and Denny McCarthy.
Several players are chasing their first Tour win, and among the top contenders are Luke Clanton, Bud Cauley, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Denny McCarthy. McCarthy, in particular, could be poised for a breakthrough. He enters the week with the third-best betting odds and has finished T6 and 7th at the JDC in prior appearances.
In addition to a stronger-than-average field, the tournament also continues to impress with its entertainment offerings. Included with every ticket are concerts by Dierks Bentley on Saturday and Zac Brown Band on Sunday.
