SILVIS, ILLINOIS – JULY 06: Brian Campbell of the United States celebrates with the trophy after winning the John Deere Classic 2025 at TPC Deere Run on July 06, 2025 in Silvis, Illinois. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
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There are lulls on the PGA Tour calendar, and this is one of those heading into the John Deere Classic this weekend. Following the U.S. Open and the final signature event of the season, the Travelers Championship, most of the big name golfers are taking this week off and getting some rest ahead of the fourth, and final, major of the season, the Open Championship.
Nonetheless, these full field events without the big name players in the mix are ways for lesser known players to have a strong finish and improve their standings on the Official World Golf Rankings.
Let’s take a look at the details of the upcoming John Deere Classic:
- Dates: July 2 – 5, 2026
- Location: Silvis, Illinois
- Course: TPC Deere Run
- Course Details: Par 71, 7,327 yards
- Field: John Deere Classic Field
- Total Purse: $8,800,000
It’s still important to take a look at the past winners of this event:
John Deere Classic Past Winners
- 2025 – Brian Campbell
- 2024 – Davis Thompson
- 2023 – Sepp Straka
- 2022 – J.T. Poston
Let’s take a look at pre-tournament winner odds:
2026 John Deere Classic Odds
- Ben Griffin (+1325)
- Chris Gotterup (+1400)
- Keith Mitchell (+1800)
- Keegan Bradley (+2000)
- Jackson Koivun (+2700)
When it comes to picks for this event, I like to start with my favorite and long shot picks for the tournament. The favorite pick is the winner pick I like the most. For the long shot winner, that is a golfer who has over +2000 odds to win. It is a long shot pick for a reason, and finding those can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Here are my favorite and long shot picks for the 2026 John Deere Classic:
Favorite: J.T. Poston (+2700)
Long Shot: Tom Kim (+3500)
J.T. Poston has already won on tour this year, and has had consecutive weeks where he has played solid golf. Last week, at the Travelers Championship, he had a blow up hole which completely derailed his hopes of a strong finish, but I like the fact he is playing well and has won this event in recent history.
Tom Kim didn’t play in the Travelers Championship last weekend, but did play well at the U.S. Open the week prior. The long shot pick is banking on him continuing to play well, even after a week off.
Top 5 Bets For The John Deere Classic 2026
- Ben Griffin (+280)
- Chris Gotterup (+300)
Ben Griffin has been a difficult player to pick this season, but has shown some flashes of his 2025 form where he won three events during that campaign. Griffin is the odds on favorite to win, and I see him as a top tier talent in this watered down field. A Top 5 finish for him shouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.
Gotterup at +300 is a bet I’m willing to take. He started off with a strong start, winning two events before the first major, but has not returned to that type of form since. Gotterup is a player who is capable of playing well in these events, so I think a Top 5 finish, with those odds, is a good spot for him.
Top 10 Picks For The John Deere Classic 2026
- Keith Mitchell (+194)
- Keegan Bradley (+250)
Keith Mitchell might be known more for his crazy hair meme in the U.S. Open, but he has quietly being playing great golf this season. Mitchell being a Top 10 finish in this tournament fit well, if he can continue his play on an upward trajectory.
Bradley is coming off a T14 finish at the Travelers Championship last week, and he absolutely is playing good golf. Bradley typically plays well on tracks like TPC Deere Run, so I think this Top 10 pick is a good fit.
Top 20 Value Picks For The John Deere Classic 2026
- Tom Kim (+146)
- Jordan Spieth (+130)
I have Tom Kim as my long shot pick for this event, and I also think a Top 20 finish is a great place for Kim to finish. I have a feeling he might finish closer to Top 10, but the +146 odds are still in our favor to make the safer Top 20 play.
For my “gut pick” of the week, I’ll go with Jordan Spieth. A week after the PGA Tour announced their 2027 plan, someone like Spieth could be facing relegation in next year’s system. It is time Spieth starts finishing strong, and it could start at the John Deere Classic this weekend.
Best Prop Bets, Parlays And Bonus Plays For The 2026 John Deere Classic
For bonus plays, these are picks which I don’t necessarily hang my hat on, but still provide value for some who want more exotic plays outside of the aforementioned picks. Sometimes bonus plays are parlays, double chances, triple chances, and even some fun plays for that particular event.
Here are the bonus plays for the 2026 John Deere Classic:
Top 20 Parlay: Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup, Keith Mitchell (+320)
Margin of Victory: Two shots (+345)
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