Welcome back, golf fans. This week, the PGA Tour heads to Silvis, Illinois, for the John Deere Classic. As has been the case for years, this event gets a bit of a watered-down field with the upcoming events overseas, with the Scottish Open and the Open Championship. While it lacks star power, it makes up for it with low scoring and jam-packed leaderboards.
In this article, we will preview the course, look at some past trends, break down the stats that matter, and go over a few players who are on my bet card this week.
Create a fantasy golf commissioner league, invite your friends and “master” your draft this season (no green jacket required). Our FREE PGA fantasy golf league manager is the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry.
The Course: TPC Deere Run
TPC Deere Run is one of the easiest tests on the PGA Tour, playing almost two strokes under par. It has a nice mix of par 3s with one short, one mid, and two over 200 yards. There are two short par 4s under 400 yards, five in the mid-range, and only two exceeding 490 yards. The par 5s are also pretty standard between 560 and 590 yards.
The fairways are wider than average, which has led to not only a higher-than-average driving accuracy but also a higher-than-average GIR rate north of 70%. With that, a strong iron game and hot putter are the biggest factors leading to climbing the leaderboard and getting in the -20s with a chance to win.
Stats & Trends That Matter: Finding the 2026 John Deere Classic Champion
Top Stats:
- Strokes Gained: Approach – With fairways that are well above average in terms of driving accuracy, a strong iron game is paramount to putting yourself in contention this week. The course is shorter, and there are not a ton of longer par 4s, so I will also key in on the mid-iron proximity ranges
- Strokes Gained: Putting – A strong iron game only gets you on the green. In an event that will likely see the winner hit the -20 mark or better, a red-hot putter will also be needed this week
Ben Griffin (+1325 Outright)
Most of my focus will be on the mid-range and long shots this week, but one name that intrigues me at the top is Ben Griffin. He is not having the same season as in 2025, when he won three times, but it is good news to see the form coming around as he has finished inside the Top 20 in four of his last five events, including a Top 10 last week. Looking back on the last two years’ data on easy scoring combined with weak fields, Griffin sits #1 in SG: Total and has a Top 5 here in 2024.
Jackson Koivun (+2700 Outright / +510 Top 5 / +255 Top 10)
Koivun is an up-and-coming star on the PGA Tour, and I can totally see a path for him to pick up win #1 here this week. He kept up with the big boys at the U.S. Open with a T23 and, going back to last season, has five straight Top 25 finishes, including a T11 in his first trip to TPC Deere Run in 2025. He has an excellent all-around game, which seems to fit at tough courses as well as these easy scoring condition type courses we will see this week. The top 10 is my top bet for him here, but I will have exposure to the top 5 and the outright market, as well.
Blades Brown (+5600 Outright / +940 Top 5 / +445 Top 10 / +205 Top 20)
It is hard not to like Brown this week as he checks a ton of boxes. He has not only made the cut in six of seven events in 2026 but has also tallied multiple top-10 finishes, both of which came in weak-field events like this one. He also comes in having shot rounds in the sub 70’s in 12 straight rounds, and while his stats don’t qualify, he would rank #1 in this field with a 26.5% birdie or better %. More good news on the stats front as his strength has been iron play and putting, which is exactly what I am looking for this week. Lock and load on a full ladder bet here this week.
Tom Kim (+3500 Outright / +620 Top 5 / +300 Top 10)
Kim’s rough 2025 (One Top 10) carried over to 2026 as he had just one Top 20 going into the month of May. Now, the good news is that since then, he has made five straight cuts, including two top 10s, one of which came in his last start at the U.S. Open. During that stretch, he ranks #2 in SG: Tee to Green, #1 in SG: Approach, and while he is 51st in SG: Putting, he has gained strokes on the green in three straight and four of his last five events. Another player I will be ladder betting this week with most of my exposure on the secondary markets.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
