The 2026 PGA TOUR season is entering its final stages, with the Travelers Championship having concluded as the year's last "signature event." This week, the Tour moves to Silvis, Illinois, in the Quad Cities, for the 2026 John Deere Classic, hosted at TPC Deere Run. The field for this event is notably less competitive, as many of the Tour's top players are opting out to prepare for upcoming international tournaments: the Genesis Scottish Open and golf's final major, The 154th Open Championship in England. Historically, the John Deere Classic has served as a significant platform for emerging talents, long-shot contenders, and seasoned professionals. Past champions like Jordan Spieth, who became the youngest PGA TOUR winner at 19 in 2013 and claimed the title again in 2015, and Bryson DeChambeau, who secured his inaugural PGA TOUR victory here, underscore the tournament's role in showcasing rising stars.
For the 2026 John Deere Classic, a golf analyst is building their betting card around one of the most accomplished amateur golfers in recent memory, who is set to make his debut as a full-time professional on the Tour. The overall betting approach allocates 2.46 units (u) for outright win selections and an additional 1.25u for top-five finishes, inclusive of ties. The following picks represent the expert's selections for TPC Deere Run.
Note: The listed odds are based on previous wagers placed on these golfers and are subject to market fluctuations.
Featured Selections for the 2026 John Deere Classic
🇺🇸 Jackson Koivun
Outright: +2700 (0.74u) | Top-5 (incl. ties): +530 (0.25u)
Jackson Koivun is making his first start as a full-time PGA TOUR professional, having secured his Tour status through the PGA TOUR University’s accelerated program. He stands as the first golfer in history to sweep all four major collegiate awards in a single year while competing for Auburn University. Koivun has demonstrated his capability on the PGA TOUR circuit, successfully making the cut in eight of his ten previous Tour appearances. His notable performances include a T23 finish and earning low amateur honors at the 2026 U.S. Open alongside Ryder Cowan, a T4 at the 2025 Procore Championship, a T5 at the 2026 Wyndham Championship, a T6 at the ISCO Championship (an alternate event), and an impressive T11 at last year’s John Deere Classic. Statistically, Koivun has consistently gained strokes with his driver in his last five starts and has shown exceptional putting, gaining strokes on the greens in eight consecutive tournaments with ShotLink data. While a victory in his professional debut would be extraordinary, his status as a generational talent makes him a compelling choice, especially given the composition of this week's field.
🇺🇸 Jacob Bridgeman
Outright: +3300 (0.61u) | Top-5 (incl. ties): +573 (0.25u)
Had the John Deere Classic taken place earlier in the season, Jacob Bridgeman's odds would likely have been significantly shorter, potentially below +2000. He commenced the 2026 season with exceptional form, achieving finishes of T18 or better in his first eight events, highlighted by a victory at The Genesis Invitational and a T5 at THE PLAYERS Championship. Although Bridgeman experienced a dip in performance following The Masters, he has shown signs of recovery with a T11 at the RBC Canadian Open and a T39 at the U.S. Open in his two most recent outings. His putting, while having cooled somewhat, still places him second on Tour this year in Strokes Gained (SG): Putting. Notably, he gained 4.58 strokes on the greens at Shinnecock during the U.S. Open, a course renowned for its challenging putting surfaces. Last year, Bridgeman tied for fifth at the John Deere Classic, demonstrating a well-rounded game by gaining strokes across all key categories: driving, approach play, around-the-green, and putting. Furthermore, TPC Deere Run features numerous approach shots from the 100-150-yard range, an area where Bridgeman excels, ranking ninth on Tour for proximity to the hole from 100-125 yards and 12th from 125-150 yards this season.
🇰🇷 Tom Kim
Outright: +3500 (0.57u) | Top-5 (incl. ties): +755 (0.25u)
The current odds for Tom Kim are seen as remarkably undervalued, especially when compared to players like Eric Cole, Pierceson Coody, and Michael Thorbjornsen, who possess longer odds despite none of them having secured a PGA TOUR victory. Kim, on the other hand, boasts three Tour wins and is younger than all three. His recent performances, including a T15 at the RBC Canadian Open and a third-place finish at the U.S. Open in his last two starts, suggest a return to the form that saw him rapidly claim two victories within his first six months on Tour. Over his last 20 rounds, Kim leads the field in SG: Approach, according to Bet The Number data. The 24-year-old has also consistently gained strokes on the greens in four of his last five starts and is recognized as one of the most accurate drivers on Tour. Considering the less formidable field, his strong recent form, and established professional resume, Kim's odds are arguably more favorable than his current +3500 suggests, warranting a position below +3000.
🇺🇸 Denny McCarthy
Outright: +6566 (0.30u) | Top-5 (incl. ties): +1073 (0.25u)
Despite what has been a less stellar year for Denny McCarthy, his exceptional course history at the John Deere Classic makes him a noteworthy pick. He has consistently performed well at this event, finishing T11 last year, T7 in 2024, T6 in 2023, and T6 in 2022. In the previous four editions of the John Deere Classic, McCarthy was frequently among the top five betting favorites, with his shortest closing odds being +1550 in 2023 when he was the outright favorite. TPC Deere Run is known for being an accessible tee-to-green course, often leading to a "birdie fest" where putting proficiency is paramount. McCarthy is widely regarded as one of the best putters on Tour and is known for hitting fairways accurately when playing well. He has demonstrated this by gaining strokes on the field in both driving accuracy and putting in six of his seven appearances at the John Deere Classic. McCarthy recently showed promising form with a T14 finish at the Travelers Championship, gaining strokes across all statistical categories against a highly competitive field. If he can build on that performance, his current odds, which are four times higher than his average over the past four years, appear disproportionate given his strong track record at TPC Deere Run.
🇦🇷 Emiliano Grillo
Outright: +8400 (0.24u) | Top-5 (incl. ties): +1240 (0.25u)
Emiliano Grillo, hailing from Argentina, might be benefiting from the positive momentum of his home country's recent World Cup triumph and its strong prospects for another title this summer. His past performances at the John Deere Classic have been notable: he lost in a playoff to Brian Campbell last year, missed the cut in 2023, and tied for second in 2022. While he missed the cut two years ago, his score of -2 indicates that his play wasn't significantly poor. TPC Deere Run particularly rewards driving accuracy over distance, a strength for Grillo, who has gained strokes on the field in driving accuracy in 11 consecutive starts, according to DataGolf.com. He also comes into this tournament with decent recent form, having finished T20 at the RBC Canadian Open and a respectable T23 at the U.S. Open. Given the softer field, Grillo's status as a two-time PGA TOUR winner, and his current form, his win equity appears greater than his +8400 odds suggest.
