Campbell comes all the way back

Writing from Silvis, Illinois

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Brian Campbell, back on the PGA Tour this year after nearly a decade in the wilderness of the Korn Ferry Tour and battling injuries, is suddenly among those in contention for a berth on the American Ryder Cup team.

Winning twice on your return to the circuit, and in playoffs, no less, will do that for you. Earlier this year, the 32-year-old California native and Illinois grad captured the Mexico Open in sudden death. Sunday, he won the 54th John Deere Classic in similar fashion, beating Emiliano Grillo of Argentina on the first extra hole at TPC Deere Run.

“You’ve really got to dig deep and trust yourself,” Campbell said. “Easier said than done, but what worked for me a lot was trusting a lot of things I used to do when I was a kid.”

In other words, loving golf for the sport it is, not for the business demands it puts upon professionals. By doing that, by not worrying about the money, he’s suddenly rolling in it.

“There were definitely moments in the week where I was thinking about, hey, you know, this could be a special week,” Campbell said. “I don't know if I like to let myself get ahead of myself and think about winning all that much, but I know if we stick around and keep doing the right things that we're going to be there in the end.”

One would think that if American captain Keegan Bradley doesn’t have Campbell’s phone number now, he soon will. Players winning twice in a Ryder Cup year usually attract interest.

“I’ve had no thought about that whatsoever,” Campbell said. “I just know how much I love the Ryder Cup, and to be in the same conversation as the Ryder Cup is wild. So the best thing I can do is just keep working on what I’m doing and keep moving forward. I think we’ll see what happens when that comes around."

Campbell and Grillo each scored 4-under-par 67 to arrive at 18-under-par 266 on a day when three showers fell on Deere Run, softening the course but not making it easier. There was just enough breeze and the greens were still hard enough after an overnight shower to be crispy.

Thanks to his Illinois ties, many in the gallery of about 20,000 were pulling for Campbell, complete with “I-L-L” chants.

“It’s awesome,” Campbell said. “I’ve never had this much support at any golf tournament, so I never knew it would be this awesome to feel the crowd out there and get it done in this fashion.”

With overnight leader and defender Davis Thompson stumbling to a 1-over 72 for 13-under 271, thus ending the three-year run of winners from “Trophy House,” a bed-and-breakfast in nearly Geneseo, the way was clear for a new champion.

Everybody wanted to get into the act. At one point, there were 16 players within two strokes of then co-leaders Campbell and Max Homa, but it came down to Campbell, who would have won the Deere outright but for a pull-hook-induced double-bogey on the par-4 15th, and Grillo, whose 8-foot birdie putt on 17 seconds after Campbell parred the last set up sudden-death.

It would have been three in the extra session but for David Lipsky, erstwhile Northwestern notable, bogeying the 18th after a spectacular eagle 3 on the 17th that drew him into the tie. His attempt to salvage par at the last after a poor the shot edged the left side of the hole.

“I’m disappointed the putt didn’t drop at the last,” Lipsky said. “The shot on 17 was unbelievable to give myself a chance.”

Campbell hit the 18th fairway dead center in the playoff, hit a 192-yard trap draw to 16 feet 2 inches with his approach, and two-putted for the par and win. Grillo had pushed his tee shot to the trees on the right, got a drop after a mindless marshal picked up the ball, rammed his approach over the green, was short with his third, and left his fourth shot short of the cup. Then Campbell finished the job.

“Magic does happen at the John Deere,” said Campbell, echoing the tournament’s slogan. “I’m just so proud to be in the same conversation as (three-time winner and Illinois grad) Stve Stricker.”

Campbell earned $1.512 million and pushed his season earnings to $3,174,658.83.

Grillo, as balm, could content himself with $915,600 and climbing back into the Tour’s playoff race. He’s 64th now in the chase to land in the top 100 for the first playoff tournament, up from 105th. (And Campbell is 28th, up from 59th.)

“Obviously we’re aiming for (the top) 50,” Grillo said. “You want to be in all the elevated tournaments, play the big ones. Hopefully a little bit better and play Atlanta (the Tour Championship).

“Working towards that, and this is a big step.”

The 18-under 266s posted by Campbell and Grillo were the highest for first place since Bryson DeChambeau’s winning 266 in 2017.

For Campbell, this has been a renaissance season. Getting his PGA Tour card back after last year’s Korn Ferry exploits was the start. He’d played 159 KFT tournaments beginning in 2015, most of them after his one season as a PGA Tour regular in 2016-17. But he’d not won on the stepping-stone tour, losing once in a playoff, and once wondering if playing golf as a living was worth it.

“It was second stage of Q school two-three years ago,” he recalled. “I made like a quintuple bogey on a par 3 and I thought my career was over in that moment.

“That night I just kind of had a self-talk with myself. I said, ‘You know what, whatever happens is okay. Trust yourself.’ The next round I want out there and shot 8-under and got myself right back in there. I guess I was like, ‘Maybe golf is not over for me.’ That was the moment when everything changed.”

Look at him now.

Around Deere Run

There was a point early in the afternoon when Beau Hossler was the leader in the clubhouse, having scored eight birdies and an eagle, the latter offsetting two bogeys, for a stylish 8-under 63. That placed him at 15-under 269, but he had no notion that score would prove victorious. “I have no chance,” Hossler said. “I’m going to eat lunch, pack my stuff, get a coffee from 392 Cafe, my favorite coffee spot in town, and get on a flight.” To Louisville, not Scotland. … Michael Thorbjornsen also scored 63, the low number of the day. … The Deere charter to Scotland was full fo the first time with over 35 players taking advantage. A player, caddie and spouse can make the trip, paying for the privilege. Deere puts that money in the Birdies for Charity endeavor. … Amateur Jackson Koivun tied for 11th, finishing with 4-under 67 for 15-under 269.

– Tim Cronin

He's baaaack – Davis Thompson, that is

Writing from Silvis, Illinois

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Davis Thompson just won’t go away.

He’s greedy, this silent birdie-maker from St. Simons Island, Ga. He won the John Deere Classic last year, when the course was soft and yielded birdies unreluctantly, and he leads the 54th edition this year with a round to go.

Thompson assumed the position Saturday afternoon with a 4-under-par 67 for a 54-hole aggregate of 15-under 198. That’s the highest leading score though three rounds at the Deere since a trio was tied at 199 in 2009. In this case, Thompson leads the quartet of Max Homa, David Lipsky, Emiliano Grillo and Brian Campbell by a stroke, with a foursome including Camilo Villegas at 12-under 201 and five more players, including standout amateur Jackson Koivun, stationed at 11-under 202.

That adds up to 13 players within four strokes of Thompson, so while he may sleep late on Sunday morning, it likely won’t be a deep sleep. There’s a lot of firepower looming.

“Just got to stick to my game plan tomorrow,” Thompson said. “I feel your focus sharpens a little more – I find it easier to commit to every shot when I’m in the lead as opposed to the back of the pack.”

With about 22,500 watching, with the wind up and with many greens adding a shade of purple, scores were comparatively high. The field averaged 68.894 strokes, the highest in a third round since 2015. There were only 254 birdies, the fewest on a Saturday since a mere 206 found the sanctuary in 2003. The paucity of circled numbers may impact the tournament’s vaunted Birdies for Charity fund-raising program.

Thompson’s concerned with Sunday, when expected overnight rains soften the course and make birdies more likely.

“Deep breaths, one step at a time, make sure I’m sticking to my routines, eating something, staying hydrated,” Thompson said.

If that doesn’t sound exciting, he doesn’t want to be exciting. He wants to be efficient.

That may make Thompson hard to root for, but it certainly helps his bottom line. But will efficiency be enough to hold off the charge of the birdie brigade?

“I think it’s going to be another birdiefest,” Illinois grad Campbell said. “Guys coming from deep behind, especially playing in twosomes. I think I’ve got to be aggressive tomorrow. I love the wind. Going to school (in Champaign) that’s all we played in. I like to get creative with it.

“If it’s a birdiefest, go out and make a lot of birdies.”

Campbell won in Mexico earlier this season, so is not a stranger to the winner’s circle. But complacency is not his forte.

“You can’t get lazy out here,” Campbell said. “Nothing is given to you.”

Campbell fashioned his 3-under 68 with a quartet of birdies offset by a solitary bogey. Sinking a 37-footer for birdie at the last allowed him to finish with a flourish.

“I was right into the wind with a 6-iron in the fairway and gave myself a look,” Campbell said. “My caddie said I was due for a long one.

“Hopefully, going to have one of those tomorrow for something bigger.”

Homa, whose 68 featured four birdies in the first 11 holes but ended with a bogey, is the most experienced of the contenders, with six wins on the PGA Tour – five by coming from behind in the final round – but has hit a dry patch of late. He’s eager to change that.

“Golf has been very boring for me this year,” Homa said. “I haven’t had a whole lot of stress, and you want to be stressed out. I look forward to the butterflies in the morning. It’s been a while.”

He, Thompson and all the other leaders will feel it to some extent. At the other end of the scale, there’s Doug Ghim, who paced the field for 36 holes and played the role of human pace car as the field raced by on Saturday.

Ghim’s 3-over 74 for 9-under 204 dropped him into a tie for 21st. It’s only six strokes behind Thompson, and deficits as large and larger than that have been made up at the Deere before – then-teenager Jordan Spieth was six back in 2013, and young Roger Maltbie was seven in arrears at Oakwood Country Club in 1975 – but the pride of Arlington Heights has a pile of people to surpass to – how do they say it here? – make magic happen.

He’ll need a magic putter to rally. He’s last among the 65 who made the cut in stokes gained putting, and the average length of his made putts is just under 2.5 feet, which indicates a lot of long misses.

Around Deere Run

Aldrich Potgieter, winner in Detroit last week, withdrew after a Saturday 76 that included six bogeys and a double-bogey. He’s slated to play in next week’s Scottish Open and is first alternate for the British Open. He’ll be on Sunday night’s Deere-arranged charter flight to Scotland. … The course average after three rounds is 69.619.  … Chris Kirk is the caboose through 54 holes at 1-over 214 after his 8-over 79, and gets the honor of starting first Sunday as a single at 7:10 a.m. Leader Davis Thompson goes off with David Lipsky in the final pairing.

– Tim Cronin

Deere is a Ghimee so far

Writing from Silvis, Illinois

Friday, July 4, 2025

The 249th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

So here’s Doug Ghim at the top of the leaderboard in the 54th John Deere Classic for the second day in a row, the first opening-round Deere leader to keep the point since J.T. Poston three years ago.

Poston never yielded and rode out of TPC Deere Run with a trophy in the back seat of his courtesy car.

Can Ghim do the same? Can he hold off the birdie binges that are sure to come? Can he capture his first PGA Tour title – and become the 25th Deere winner to do so since the tournament was founded as the Quad Cities Open in 1971?

Ghim, Arlington Heights born and bred, it at 12-under-par 130 following Friday’s 3-under 68, and has 36 holes to answer the questions in the affirmative. He also has company. There are five players a stroke behind him and six more two strokes in arrears, making it the most crowded leaderboard at the halfway point in Deere annals.

Among those a stroke back are Illinois alum Brian Campbell, who added a 66 to Thursday’s 65 to wander into contention, and defending champion Davis Thompson, whose bogey-free 8-under 63 closed with three birdies on the last five holes. Max Homa, David Lipsky and Emiliano Grillo are also at 11-under 131.

The sixsome at 10-under 132 includes Camilo Villegas, Taylor Montgomery, Sam Stevens, Si Wo Kim, Kevin Roy and Cameron Champ. The 65s of Montgomery and Roy were the best rounds from that gaggle.

“If I can get the driver in play and at least feel solid with the driver and the longer irons, I can compete with all these guys,” said Montgomery, a 30-year-old who, like Ghim, has yet to break into the Tour’s victory circle. “It’s being able to do it for four days. I put it together for three, 3 1/2 rounds, but it’s those bad ones that get to you.”

Farther back, but by no means out of contention, are big-hitting Aldrich Potgieter (9-under 133) and amateur Jackson Koivun (8-under 134 with a Friday 64, matching the best round of the day). In all, 34 players are within five strokes of Ghim with the weekend to go.

Part of Ghim’s resurgence comes from his wholesale range in personnel, from his caddie, Kevin “Tech” Techakanokboon to his mental coach.

“He’s been on the bag for about a month now,” Ghim said of Techakankboon. “I think our first start together was in Canada. He’s a good friend of mine – used to caddie for Chan Kim. I’ve spent a lot of time out here the last couple years just playing practice rounds with Chan.

“Tech is a very good player himself, so it’s important to keep it light out here. It gets pretty intimidating sometimes, so to have a friend and someone you can laugh with is always important. We had a blast."

Ghim’s other key team members are manager Luke Park, swing coach Boyd Summerhays, mental coach Fred McCabe and fitness trainer Brian Chandler. Yes, golfers have support crews about as big as a NASCAR pit crew these days, though not all travel each week.

Ghim came into the Deere 124th in the PGA Tour’s point standings, 127th on the money list and 125th in the world rankings. The first is most critical. Only the top 100 will get full Tour status next year, but a win assures him of status through 2027.

“I was at the point in the season where I just needed something different,” Ghim said. “I was playing fine but couldn’t get any positive momentum. It’s been working.”

That it has. It’s also helped that Ghim’s holed out from the fairway once in each round. Friday, it was a 179-yard smack from the left edge of the 15th fairway for a deuce.

“It’s just the halfway point,” Ghim said. “The leaderboard is so bunched. There’s always a guy regardless of conditions. I’m still chasing because 20-something-under is probably going to win.”

Around TPC Deere Run

Potential thunderstorms prompted Tour officials to juggle tee times for Saturday. Players will go off both tees from 8:05-9:55 a.m. That triggered changes in the television schedule. Golf Channel will be live from 10 a.m.-noon, and CBS will be live beginning at noon. … The cut fell at 5-under-par 137 for the second straight year. with 65 players advancing. Among those making it on the number were Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler. Among those hitting the road: former Deere champions Michael Kim, Dylan Frittelli and J.T. Poston, notable Ben Griffin and star attraction Jason Day. … Nicholas Lindheim and Andrew Putnam withdrew before the second round, citing back issues. … The field averaged 69.548 strokes, collecting 667 birdies. … The time of an average round was 5 hours 2 minutes.

– Tim Cronin

Ghim and bear it

Writing from Birdieville (a.k.a. Silvis), Illinois

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Patience may be a virtue, but professional golfers aren’t known to be especially virtuous when birdies are available almost for the asking. The temptation is there to push a little more than might be prudent, say, when a pin is tucked next to a bunker or water as tightly as a newborn into a crib.

Doug Ghim is learning that. In his eighth year as a professional, Ghim, who grew up in Arlington Heights, played for Texas on a team with Jordan Spieth, and lost a U.S. Amateur in a sudden-death playoff, is still searching for his first PGA Tour triumph.

Could this be the week? He put his stamp on the first round of the 54th John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run with a 9-under-par 62 that, like every round in the history of the game, could have been better. Failed birdie putts at the final two holes might have left a bitter taste once upon a time, but instead Ghim has positives galore in his head, and why not? The 62 is his best round on the PGA Tour in 488 circuits.

Patient pays off.

“You learn,” Ghim said. “There were times earlier in my career that you try to shoot a 62. Not to say we’re not trying to every day, but you kind of have to let it come to you. On Sunday, if you’re behind the pack, you’re going to have to try to. On Thursday, you’re just trying to keep yourself in it.

“Putting yourself in the pack is the most important thing.”

Ghim, the first Illinois native to lead any Deere round since Gary Hallberg of Barrington led the opening round in 1997, managed to put himself in front of it with a bogey-free circuit of the D.A. Weibring design, scattering six birdies across his card and punctuating it with an eagle 2 on the par-4 sixth hole via a 90-yard wedge to the bottom of the cup, plus a near-ace at the 16th. As noted, his 30-32 reading might have been even better – say, 30-30 – but for skidding a birdie putt on the 17th 10 inches by the hole and coming up just short on a 37-footer at the last.

Again, no worries, figured Ghim, who holds a one-stroke lead on Max Homa and Austin Eckroat entering the second round of this four-lap trophy dash.

“It comes and goes,” Ghim said of his patience. “There are certain times I do it really well. Sometimes it comes easier. You’re hitting your shots. Scottie Scheffler is making it look really easy right now. In Vegas last year, I played well and almost won. Was patient all week, didn’t try to knock the grass off the course.

“Sometimes it’s just a little harder. It’s something that every year I’ve gotten a little bit better at.”

Sitting tied for fourth at 7-under 64 are David Lipsky, Sam Stevens, Justin Lower and 2018 Deere winner Michael Kim, another quartet of morning glories.

It was a somewhat unusual day at Deere Run in that all of the better scores were posted in the morning. Austin Potgeiter, last week’s winner in Detroit, made some noise on the back nine in the afternoon with eagles on the 10th and 14th holes – the latter by pitching in from the rough for a deuce from 98 feet – but his sloppy bogey on the par-4 17th ruined any chance of threatening Ghim. Potgeiter ended up at 4-under 67.

The best afternoon score was 6-under 65, crafted by erstwhile Illinois grad Brian Campbell and Kris Ventura. They’re in an eighth-place gaggle, as are notables Matt Kuchar and Rickie Fowler. Camilo Villegas sits joint 17th at 5-under 66, Beau Hossler is in a pack at 4-under 67, and defending champion Davis Thompson moseyed in with a 3-under 68 largely thanks to an eagle on the par-5 17th.

Zach Johnson, possibly in his last Deere, scored 2-under 69, while Jason Day needs to go to the whip in the second round to make the weekend and a check after an uncharacteristic 3-over 74 and is tied for 137th when only the low 65 and those tied will advance.

Around Deere Run

Stephen Jaeger withdrew after an opening 3-over 74 that included a triple-bogey 7 on the par-4 fourth hole. … Joe Highsmith was even par for 17 holes before hitting his drive at the last into the copse of trees to the right of the 18th fairway. His escape shot caromed off a tree dead right into more trouble. He could only wedge backwards and lost 19 yards skittering a shot across to the left rough. Finally able to aim at the green, he missed it right, the ball settling into a depression with a bunker between him and the hole. Highsmith chipped it to the far left fringe and two-putted from 37 feet for triple-bogey 7.and enters Friday’s play at 3-over 74. … Ben James was the low amateur at 3-under 68. … Pierceson Coody was high man in the field at 8-over 79. … Carson Herron, Monday’s final qualifier, started his PGA Tour career with a triple-bogey 8 on his second hole via a tee shot into a hazard and scored 5-over 76. … There were 102 players under par and 112 par or better, leading to a course average of 69.579, the eighth-easiest first round in Deere history.

– Tim Cronin

Zach Johnson, savoring the moment at 49

Writing from Silvis, Illinois

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Zach Johnson is the old lion in the 54th John Deere Classic field this week.

It’s a position he’s become accustomed to.

“I think I’ve been the oldest guy in the field every week this year, except one week when Padraig Herrington played, and at Augusta,” Johnson said Wednesday.

Johnson is 49. He’ll be 50 in February, instantly eligible for the senior circuit. Once upon a time, he was one of the Young Turks in any field, the kid from Cedar Rapids who wasn’t expected to make it, and made it big. A Masters triumph. A British Open championship. And, in 2012, capturing the Deere, the tournament closest to his heart, in a playoff with Troy Matteson.

“I did a thing with John Deere last night at headquarters,” said Johnson, a member of the tournament’s board of directors. “Felt like I was rubbing shoulders, shaking hands with friends I’ve known forever and in a lot of respects that’s true.”

Johnson’s game is up and down these days, which is to be expected. He played last week for the first time in six weeks, made the cut in Detroit and finished in a tie for 82nd. His best finish of the year was a tie for eighth at the Masters. He picked up the bulk of his Tour points there and enters the Deere 103rd in the standings.

In previous years, that would have been a comfortable spot in which to retain his PGA Tour playing privileges for next year. But the Tour is handing out only 100 cards next season, down from 125, so he has his work cut out to continue to be guaranteed to mingle with the youngsters in 2026.

“I hope I have the option of coming back here for the foreseeable future,” Johnson said. “I don’t know what the future will hold. A lot of what is going to transpire next year is going to be determined by the next so many odd weeks out here.

“Let’s just say if I can keep coming back here and playing – I’m not going to come back necessarily just to play, I want to come back here to compete. But I can’t hide the fact I have a high affinity for John Deere and the people. That goes without saying.”

With all that, he’s not a favorite this week. His stretch of five straight top-5 finishes, punctuated by the 2012 victory and built on 29 straight sub-70 rounds, is in the past. But this, his 23rd straight start in the Deere, offers opportunity.

“I don’t take that for granted,” Johnson said. “It’s amazing. I love every aspect of this, starting with the people and ending with the golf.”

The field is one of the best in tournament history, a product of the signature tournaments on the tour forcing other players to seek starts where they might not have otherwise in the past, and an awareness that Deere really treats its players well. Plus, Johnson’s talked up the tournament for years.

It’s difficult to pick a favorite, but the Deere’s history of creating first-time Tour winners – 24 of them, including defender Davis Thompson – augurs well for another, or at least from someone of the younger set.

Around Deere Run

Scott Piercy replaced Vince Covello in the field on Wednesday morning. … Tee times begin at 6:45 a.m. with threesomes off the first and 10th tees, with Trey Mullinax first off No. 1 and Kevin Kisner opening the show on No. 10. … Jackson Koivun is among three amateurs, all on this year’s American Walker Cup team, in the field.

– Tim Cronin