The John Deere Classic is a professional
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
tournament on the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also ...
. It is played annually in July, usually the week before
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, at
TPC Deere Run
TPC Deere Run is an 18-hole golf course in the central United States, located in Silvis, Illinois, along the Rock River. It is operated by the PGA Tour as a member of their Tournament Players Club network of golf courses and plays host to the ann ...
in the
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a region of cities (originally four, see History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in northwestern Illinois. These cities are t ...
community of
Silvis, Illinois
Silvis is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is part of a larger metropolitan area known as the Quad Cities. The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area is situated across four counties in Illinois and Iowa. It is located four miles ...
.
History
The tournament began as the Quad Cities Open in 1971 and was a "satellite event" on the PGA Tour. It became an official tour event in 1972.
[History: John Deere Classic]
/ref> Ed McMahon
Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...
served as tournament host from 1975 to 1979. Title sponsors have included Miller Brewing Company
The Miller Brewing Company is an American brewery and beer company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1855 by Frederick Miller. Molson Coors acquired the full global brand portfolio of Miller Brewing Company in 2016, and operates the ...
(1982–85), Hardee's (1986–94) and John Deere
Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...
(since 1999).
From the event's inception in 1971 through 1974, it was played at Crow Valley Country Club in Davenport, Iowa. It then moved to Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Illinois
The village of Coal Valley is located in both Rock Island County and Henry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 3,743 at the 2010 census, up from 3,606 in 2000. It is mostly residential, housing families who work in or out of ...
from 1975 to 1999. Beginning in 2000, the event has been at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis.
In 2005 and 2006, the tournament generated more media coverage because of the sponsor's exemptions given to teenager Michelle Wie
Michelle Sung Wie West (; born October 11, 1989) is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie also became the youngest winner of the U.S ...
. The 2013 edition saw Jordan Spieth
Jordan Alexander Spieth (born July 27, 1993) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. He is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion.
Spieth's first majo ...
, two weeks shy of his 20th birthday, become the first teenager to win on the PGA Tour since 1931.
Since the introduction of the Open Qualifying Series, the John Deere Classic is a final chance for a player not already exempt to earn entry into The Open if he finished in the top five. In order to help attract players who will compete in the following week's Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, since 2008 the John Deere Classic has sponsored a charter flight that leaves the Quad Cities on Sunday night and arrives in Britain the next morning.
Winners
''Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.''
Sources:John Deere Classic – Winners
– at golfobserver.com (1972–2009)
Multiple winners
Through 2018, six men have won the John Deere Classic more than once.
*3 wins
**
D. A. Weibring
Donald Albert "D. A." Weibring Jr. (born May 25, 1953) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including several on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
Early life and amateur career
Weibring was born in Quincy, Illinoi ...
: 1979, 1991, 1995
**
Steve Stricker
Steven Charles Stricker (born February 23, 1967) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He has twelve victories on the PGA Tour, including the WGC-Match Play title in 2001 and two FedEx Cup play ...
: 2009, 2010, 2011
*2 wins
**
Deane Beman
}
Deane R. Beman (born April 22, 1938) is an American professional golfer, golf administrator. He was the second commissioner of the PGA Tour, serving from 1974 to 1994.
Early years
Born in Washington, D.C., Beman attended the University of Maryl ...
: 1971, 1972
**
Scott Hoch
Scott may refer to:
Places Canada
* Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec
* Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380
* Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Sask ...
: 1980, 1984
**
David Frost: 1992, 1993
**
Jordan Spieth
Jordan Alexander Spieth (born July 27, 1993) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. He is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion.
Spieth's first majo ...
: 2013, 2015
Notes
References
External links
*
Coverage on the PGA Tour's official siteTPC Deere Run
{{coord, 41.477, -90.392, display=title, type:event
PGA Tour events
Golf in Illinois
Golf in Iowa
Sports in the Quad Cities
Tourist attractions in Rock Island County, Illinois
Recurring sporting events established in 1971
John Deere