News

Celebrating 40 Years – The John Deere Classic

Published

16 years ago

Jul 6, 2010

Set on what used to be the home to Friendship Farms, where champion Arabian horses were bred and groomed to perfection, a different kind of thoroughbred will be on display this week at the TPC Deere Run.

With a charter flight made available to whisk them off of to next week’s Open Championship once the trophy has been awarded Sunday, a strong contingent of players has committed to the 40^th playing of the John Deere Classic (JDC). The highest John Deere finisher not already qualified will also get a surprise seat on that plane. It provides the basis for what could be another incredible week in the Quad Cities area.

In 2009 Wisconsin native Steve Stricker took down the trophy at the John Deere and he returns to defend and lead a quality field that includes the likes of Rickie Fowler, K.J. Choi, recent Travelers Champion winner Bubba Watson and two quality former N.C. State WolfPack players – Tim Clark and Carl Pettersson. Pettersson is coming off a 6^th place finish at the AT&T National.

Finishing just behind Stricker last year, in a tie for second, was Zach Johnson who warmed up for the tournament this week by playing in his nearby hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa with some friends and family. Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion, has almost become the unofficial face of the tournament with his local ties. “There is not anything I don’t like about this golf tournament,” said Johnson on Tuesday. He also mentions that often finds himself recruiting players to play in the John Deere Classic. “I brag it up all the time,” he commented on the subject while citing the ease for players to transition from the John Deere to the Open Championship with the courtesy jet on hand and the hosting job done by John Deere and the community. “It’s become a family oriented event. It’s not a hard place for a family to come during the week of the golf tournament.”

Yes, in four decades, even when many new tournaments came to the forefront, The John Deere Classic (still referred to as the Quad Cities by many people for its pre-sponsor name) has thrived by taking an endearing community approach. At the same time they have stepped up to compete with other events with a growing purse ($4.4 million this year) and a quality golf course that players have grown to admire in just a few short years of its use.

Johnson says the turf is always perfect at Deere Run and that when the conditions are right it tests every facet of your game. “It matures every year,” said Johnson when asked about the layout. He comments that even when it is wet you still have to execute and the finishing holes all have a lot of character. “Everybody likes the course that plays here; I haven’t heard a negative comment. Is it the best course in the world? No. Is it the best course on the tour? No. But it’s a good test,” he stated with sincerity.

Much of the kudos for the success of the JDC falls on the shoulders of Tournament Director Clair Peterson. The silver-haired man receives great respect from the players. At the Transitions Championship this March, when Peterson was working the range looking for tournament commitments, I can’t say I have ever heard more heartfelt apologies by players who would not able to make it this week. The JDC is the little tournament that could and the players respect that. Of course, the 767 charter to Scotland does not hurt either and it was a brilliant idea for the JDC and RBC Canadian Open to share the cost of the plane for the over and back journey. The result is a stronger field for both events, especially among the domestic crowd which is especially important for the JDC, held in the heartland of America.

"We're very happy that so many of today's top American players are choosing to compete in the John Deere Classic," Peterson said. "They love TPC Deere Run and really enjoy the way they're treated by the fans and in the community.”

CBS picks up the weekend television coverage this week with The Golf Channel, as usual, with the broadcast for the opening rounds.

This report provided to GolfWRX.com courtesy of Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT) – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

News

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.