2021 John Deere Classic: Groups to Watch Thursday & Friday
By Tim Letcher
The PGA Tour heads to the Midwest this week for the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run. Many of the world’s top players are taking this week to prepare for the Open Championship, so the field is not loaded with big-name players.
However, that doesn’t mean there’s not quality in the field. Players like Daniel Berger, Sungjae Im and three-time winner Steve Stricker are all playing this week at the Deere. Here are the top five groups to watch this week.
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Daniel Berger, Zach Johnson, Kevin Na (Thursday, 1:43 ET; Friday, 8:18 ET) – Berger is probably the best player in the field this week and is the favorite to win. Johnson considers this a home game and is very fond of the course. He won here in 2012. In this type of field, Na can certainly contend.
Dylan Frittelli, Brian Harman, Steve Stricker (Thursday, 8:18 ET; Friday, 1:43 ET) – Frittelli is actually the defending champion here, having won in 2019 (there was no JDC last season). Harman won here in 2014 and is a trendy pick for this week. Stricker won here in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and has been playing well on the senior circuit.
Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, Anirban Lahiri (Thursday, 8:29 ET; Friday, 1:54 ET) – Davis is coming off his first PGA Tour win last week in Detroit. Im has made 23 of 29 cuts this season and is currently 27th in the world. He has the talent to win any time he tees it up. Lahiri is on the FedEx Cup bubble and could use a good showing this week.
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Si Woo Kim, Sebastian Munoz, C.T. Pan (Thursday, 1:54 ET; Friday, 8:29 ET) – Kim is ranked 50th in the world and has a win under his belt already this season (American Express). Munoz is No. 75 in the world but has not played well since a T3 at the Charles Schwab in May. Pan has two Top 10s so far on the season.
Cameron Champ, Sung Kang, Troy Merritt (Thursday, 8:40 ET; Friday, 2:05 ET) – Champ needs to get things going if he is to make the postseason. He’s currently 149th in the FedEx Cup standings. Kang has made 27 starts on tour this season and has zero Top 25s. Merritt lost in a playoff in Detroit last week but played well all week.