The John Deere Classic takes the spotlight this week as the PGA Tour returns to the Quad Cities.
Fresh off an exciting week in Detroit at the Rocket Classic, where South African Aldrich Potgieter broke through for his first win, the PGA Tour returns to a venue in TPC Deere Run that has produced a plethora of first-time winners over the years, including both Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau.
Last year, it was Davis Thompson's turn, and the 2024 John Deere Classic winner is back in the field this week looking for back-to-back titles.
Thompson, who notched his first win after posting a whopping 28-under tally here last year, will be joined by the aforementioned Potgieter, Ben Griffin, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, Jason Day, Denny McCarthy, and 2022 champion J.T. Poston in what looks to be a wide open event with some of the best players in the world bypassing this week as preparations for the final major of the year, The Open Championship, begin.
TPC Deere Run, a par-71, 7,289-yard D.A. Weibring design, has annually yielded plenty of birdies, so players will need to go low in order to contend at the John Deere Classic. Several will look to follow in Potgieter and Thompson's footsteps and become a first-time winner on the PGA Tour. Let's take a look at a few who could break through this week in Silvis, Illinois.
2025 John Deere Classic picks and predictions
Top 20 pick for the John Deere Classic: Hayden Springer (+450)
Hayden Springer produced fireworks on July 4th during the first round at last year's John Deere Classic, opening with a blistering 59 at TPC Deere Run. He would go on to finish in a tie for seventh in his first appearance at the John Deere Classic.
The 28-year-old ranks 21st on the PGA Tour this season in birdie or better percentage, and he returns to TPC Deere Run riding some good form after a T34 finish at last week's Rocket Classic.
Sleeper pick to win the John Deere Classic: Nico Echavarria (+5500)
Nico Echavarria comes into the John Deere Classic ranked seventh on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained putting, a stat that will be crucial for any player who hopes to contend this week.
A winner at the Zozo Championship last year, Nico has four top-25 finishes or better so far this season, including a runner-up finish at the Sony Open in January and a T6 finish last week in Detroit.
Pick to win the John Deere Classic: Michael Thorbjornsen (+3000)
Last week in Detroit, Thorbjornsen posted four rounds in the 60s and narrowly missed out on joining the three-man playoff by a single shot.
His T4 finish was his third top-five on the PGA Tour this season, and he now returns to the John Deere Classic after a runner-up finish at TPC Deere Run last year.
The talented 23-year-old gained strokes across the board last week, and it seems as though it's only a matter of time before he joins the list of PGA Tour winners. Thorbjornsen can follow in Davis Thompson's footsteps by riding a top-five finish in Detroit the week prior into a win at the John Deere.
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