The John Deere Classic has been a staple on the PGA Tour since 1971. Formerly known as the "Quad Cities Open," it was first a satellite event, before becoming an official Tour event in 1972. John Deere took over as the title sponsor in 1999, and the tournament has been hosted at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, since then as well. The event has some nice history to it, as the 2013 edition saw Jordan Spieth, 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 is the final chance for a player not already exempt to earn entry into the Open Championship if he finishes top-five.
While this is often a week that many of the top names take off, Ryder Cup hopefuls such as Denny McCarthy, Cameron Young, and Russell Henley will be in attendance, who all have some serious work to do if they want to be considered by U.S. captain, Zach Johnson. We will also see young up and comers such as Ludvig Aberg hopefully bolster his chances for a European bid and continue an impressive start to his PGA Tour career. Former champions such as J.T. Poston, Lucas Glover, Dylan Frittelli, Michael Kim, Ryan Moore, and Zach Johnson will also be returning to the Quad Cities.
