John Deere Classic 2026 Predictions: Denny’s Time to Serve Up a Win

After the heat of a major (US Open) and another high-class gathering at a Signature Event (Travelers Championship), the PGA Tour returns to rather more standard fayre this week.

• This is the 26th edition at TPC Deere Run

• It’s the final event on American soil before a two-week jaunt in the UK

• Brian Campbell defends the title after a surprise win in 2025   

The John Deere Classic is an enjoyable birdie-fest and with the leading names sitting this one out ahead of a fortnight in the UK (Scottish Open and Open Championship) it offers the chance for one of the lesser lights or up-and-comers to hoist the silverware.

That latter category includes college sensation Jackson Koivun who makes his pro debut.

The youngster led Auburn University to its second NCAA Championship in three years earlier this spring and he secured his Tour status via the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.

Ranked joint-fifth in the betting, the oddsmakers are wary and rightly so. Koivun was 11th here as an amateur last year and comes in off a top 25 at the US Open.

Brian Campbell was the shock winner last year with 18-under and that was actually the joint-highest score since 2008.

Day three of the tournament falls on Independence Day so the home players will want to make it a double celebration on the weekend.

History bodes well as 16 of the last 18 winners have been Americans.

TPC Deere Run is an undulating parkland track with bentgrass fairways and slick greens.

John Deere Classic 2026 Odds

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John Deere Classic 2026 Predictions

• Denny McCarthy each-way (1/5 odds, 6 Places) +3300 with BetMGM

• Ben Griffin to beat Chris Gotterup in 72-hole match at -125 with Caesars Sportsbook

• A.J. Ewart for Top 10 at +1400 with BetMGM

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Last 5 Winners of the John Deere Classic

Course Notes

• TPC Deere Run is a par 71 and measures 7,327 yards

• The D.A. Weibring design was built on an Arabian horse farm. It opened in 1998

• Paul Goydos (2010) and Hayden Springer (2024) have both shot 59s here

• Davis Thompson posted the 72-hole record of 256 in 2024

Favorites to Win the John Deere Classic 2026

Ben Griffin (+1400) at BetMGM

Griffin missed the cut last year but showed what he could do at TPC Deere Run by shooting 64-62 on the weekend to finish fifth in 2024. He returns in impressive form after a pair of thirds and two other top 10s in his last eight starts. That run includes 10th at last week’s Travelers Championship. Griffin ranks 8th for SG: Around The Green and 25th for SG: Putting this season and short game is key here. It’s easy to make a strong case for him.

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Chris Gotterup (+1400) at BetMGM

Gotterup has cooled off since the start of the season but that was surely inevitable. Wins at the Sony Open and Phoenix Open in his first three events set an extraordinary pace and he’s not managed a top five since. However, 10th at the PGA Championship in May was a good sign and here at TPC Deere Run he was fourth on debut in 2022 and 21st last year. Gotterup ranks 19th for SG: Tee To Green this season.

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Jacob Bridgeman (+2000) at BetMGM

Similar to Gotterup, Bridgeman hit the headlines in the first few months of the season. He made the prestigious Genesis Invitational at famed Riviera his breakthrough PGA Tour win and followed it with a top five in THE PLAYERS Championship two starts later. Bridgeman, who was 11th in Canada three starts ago, is 4th for SG: Putting this season and closed with a 64 for fifth place here last year so he has to be on the shortlist.

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Make it McCarthy   

Denny McCarthy is still looking for his first PGA Tour win after a string of near misses which includes two playoff losses.

But if he’s going to finally get the ‘W’, TPC Deere Run must be the most likely venue to achieve that long-term goal.

The 33-year-old has been one of this tournament’s leading characters over the last few years, finishing sixth in both 2022 and 2023, seventh in 2024 and 11th in 2025.

In the first two of those, he was second with a round to play.

McCarthy was already on the radar but his 14th place at last week’s Travelers Championship should really put us on alert - especially as he closed 66-65.

One of the Tour’s very best with the putter, he’s also finished in the top 10 for Greens in Regulation in his last two starts.    

Back McCarthy each-way (1/5 odds, 6 Places) at +3300 with BetMGM.

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Griffin to Beat Gotterup

For this week’s 72-hole match bet, I’ll turn to the two favorites as I’m very much in the camp of Ben Griffin.

Griffin’s recent form is far superior to Gotterup’s and that includes an impressive third place at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial.

That’s significant as form in this event at TPC Deere Run correlates well with Colonial. That’s shown by Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Kenny Perry, and Jordan Spieth winning at both courses.

Both players have a top five at this course but Griffin’s was more recent (fifth in 2024 to Gotterup’s fourth in 2022).

Griffin has outscored Gotterup by five shots in the last two events and can get the better of his fellow American once more.

Back Griffin at -125 with Caesars Sportsbook.

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Ewart to Land Top 10

For a value play in the Top 10 market, A.J. Ewart makes definite appeal at +1400 with BetMGM.

The Canadian has eight top 30s in his last 11 starts and that includes 11th at the Valspar and top 20s at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and Charles Schwab Challenge in two of his last three events.  

In other words, he’s close to a top 10 and, as one of the Tour’s best putters this season, it could come here.  

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How to Watch the John Deere Classic 2026

• Tournament: John Deere Classic

• Location: Silvis, IL

• Date: Thursday, July 2 - Sunday, July 5

• How to Watch: Thursday-Friday 4 p.m.-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m-3 p.m (Golf Channel), 3 p.m-6.p.m. (CBS). And all four days on Sky Sports.