Ben Kohles a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Source: PGATour.com
Ben Kohles has probably not put together four solid rounds in 2025. The American golfer last shot -10 or better at the Puerto Rico Open in March. An expected winning score would be around -20 this week at the John Deere Classic. Kohles has missed more cuts (9) than he has made (8). However, too many putting numbers raise major red flags. He averages 29.69 putts per second round and then 29.63 for the third. Also, his 29.43% birdie or better conversion percentage ranks 136th. Even putting from inside 10 feet (85.67% - 162nd) has been an adventure. Kohles can make the shorter putts but to be near contention, he needs to make more of them. Stephan Jaeger Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Source: PGATour.com
Stephan Jaeger has been up-and-down the past six events. The German golfer has alternated good performances with bad. This includes a T-7 at the Truist Championship. However, three of his worst results from 2025 have come in the last six events (T-70 and two missed cuts). Jaeger last appeared at the Quad Cities course in 2023 and posted a solid T-13. He shot all four rounds in the 60's. The problem is trying to gauge which Jaeger will show up at the event. Last week at the Rocket Classic, he missed the cut after a Friday 72 where several easier putts just would not go in the hole. The key may be that driving accuracy which has dipped to 52.75% - 160th on tour. If Jaeger can hit more fairways, his DFS chances improve. Beau Hossler Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Source: PGATour.com
Beau Hossler played well when the course pushed him at the PGA Championship. The American golfer then snared his only Top 20 result since January (T-19). Sure, Hossler has made the cut 13 times in 17 events. However, the previous three events have seen him finished outside the Top 50. The putter has been okay but getting off the tee and approaching the green have been a nightmare in 2025. Hossler's driving accuracy is 51.37% (166th) and some weeks he has been well below 50%. The one week he was in the green was the PGA Championship. Even his birdie average has dipped to 3.67 which now ranks 114th. Simply, for Hossler to contend, it does seem like he needs a push of sorts. Harry Higgs Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Source: PGATour.com
Harry Higgs bounced back last week at the Rocket Classic in Detroit. The American golfer fired a final round 65 to get into the Top 25. Granted, this was not a star-studded field but this week is not exactly either. Higgs delivered a gem in Myrtle Beach in May where he lost in a playoff. This was surrounded by a series of missed cuts and some skittish golf. Higgs' biggest weakness may be two-fold. One is greens in regulation (63.22% - 144th) but the other is that overall scoring average of 71.06 (151st). Add in that he is 160th on Par 4's (4.09) and this might be a recipe for disaster at TPC Deere Run. Nick Dunlap Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Source: PGATour.com
Nick Dunlap is not playing well right now. The American golfer is missing putts and making mistakes he normally would not. Dunlap missed another cut at the Rocket Classic. He started out well with a 70 but then the hiccups started during Round 2. Several missed shots and putts lead to a 75 and another weekend without golf. That makes eight in the last 12 appearances for the young Dunlap. Worse, he did not play on Saturday in the 2024 John Deere Classic. It is a course where birdies are often more plentiful. With how erratic off the tee Dunlap is right now (171st at 1.567 strokes lost), the wisest option may be to avoid him in betting and DFS formats.Kevin Yu a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
Source: PGA Tour
There are certain places that particular players check all the boxes for. Kevin Yu is the person this week at the John Deere Classic, where he's making his third career appearance after finishing T6-T20 the past two years. From a statistical point of view, the important metrics are all those that Yu ranks highly in. The 26-year-old ranks inside the top 60 in driving accuracy (61.7%) and inside the top 40 in driving distance (307). He also ranks 11th in proximity from 50-125 yards (16' 6") and 19th in birdie average (4.15). At $10,500, it will be a huge surprise if he doesn't find a way to be a part of this tournament. J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Source: Data Golf
Site of his second career PGA Tour victory in 2022, J.T. Poston is returning to TPC Deere Run looking to find the same level of play we saw from him earlier this year. Approach play has been the biggest detriment as of late, losing 7.96 strokes in three of his last four starts. The putter tends to keep the 32-year-old in the game more than any other club in the bag. However, he's lost strokes at an alarming pace in two of his last three starts, with his performance at the Memorial (-2.01) being his worst putting performance in nine events. Sitting at 47th in the FedEx Cup race, Poston needs a couple of solid finishes down the stretch if he hopes to make it to East Lake. At $11,600 on FanDuel, Poston is worth the risk at a place that holds good vibes on greens he is unquestionably comfortable putting on.Thriston Lawrence a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Source: Data Golf
June was quite the month for Thriston Lawrence, who was the biggest surprise on the U.S. Open leaderboard (T8) before finishing T12 last week in Detroit. The game has made a dramatic turn in nearly all facets for the South African. He ranks near the top 30 in driving accuracy (64.32%), but the positive trend in approach play and putting has only come on within the last few starts. The 28-year-old has averaged +0.526 over his previous five starts in strokes gained on approach and +0.732 putting. With everything he's stirred up in recent events, he's certainly at a new level of interest in DFS formats for those willing to ride the hype train. Perhaps it isn't time to jump off just yet.Tom Kim Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Source: Data Golf
It has been a frustrating season for Tom Kim, who missed the cut in Detroit last week with rounds of 67-76. It was his 10th consecutive event losing strokes on approach, and he lost strokes off the tee for the eighth time in that same span. That's impossible to overcome on the PGA Tour stage, and is likely the reason he's making the start this week for the first time in his career, as he sits close to the top 100 bubble for the FedEx Cup. There is nothing to suggest that the 23-year-old is trending in a positive direction worth taking a chance on in DFS lineups.Si Woo Kim is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Source: Data Golf
It has not been a fun time inside the ropes for Si Woo Kim in recent weeks, having withdrawn from the Travelers Championship and finishing nearly dead last among those who made the cut last week in Detroit. Putting has gone as far south as one could imagine for such a highly-regarded player, as the fresh 30-year-old has lost an average of -1.92 on the greens over his last three events. That is heavily weighted by the -3.75 strokes he lost in Connecticut, but TPC Deere Run demands a level of putting prowess that the South Korean hasn't shown since May. Regardless of the ball striking, which remains a strength, it's unlikely that Kim will do enough on and around the greens to warrant much consideration at the hefty price of $11,700 on FanDuel.Ben Griffin is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Source: Data Golf
Hoping to build on his T5 finish here last season and continue his impressive run since winning the Zurich Classic in April, Ben Griffin should have a strong chance to capture his second win this season. The game that's been on display for the last 10 weeks or so doesn't exactly correlate with what's shown in season-long metrics. Over his last six starts, Griffin is averaging +0.941 strokes gained putting, +0.91 strokes on approach, and +0.588 off the tee. Two of which were at venues with shorter approach shots and a heavy reliance on making a ton of putts. There's a reason he is the leading DFS option this week, and those willing to deal with heavy ownership shouldn't hesitate to get him into lineups.Jason Day is a Fine Play With Limited Upside at John Deere Classic
It's a bit surprising to see Jason Day, who is inside the top 30 in FedEx Cup points and continues to show great form, make the trip this week to Illinois for one of the more mundane events on the PGALuke Clanton Looks to Have Another Strong Week at TPC Deere Run
Source: PGA Tour
Perhaps the biggest coming-out event of last season for Luke Clanton came at this week's John Deere Classic, where the then-amateur posted bookend 63s to finish tied for second. His distance off the tee is a help at most places (311.6), and while it certainly isn't a bad thing here, accuracy is usually the more important of the two. The former Seminole is only averaging negative strokes gained metrics in one area: putting (-0.045). However, it's also important to note that his good weeks with the flat stick are solid for someone with clear struggles in this area. Given who we've seen get their first career wins here, it seems like a spot meant for the 21-year-old to at least scare again.Aldrich Potgieter Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Source: Data Golf
Aldrich Potgieter emerged as the winner at last week's Rocket Mortgage Classic and he will now focus on preparing for this week's John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Potgieter has one win, five top-15 finishes and missed the cut nine times 17 starts this season. Over the past 12 months, Potgieter ranks in the 69th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is significant because over 34% of approach shots came from this distance at last year's John Deere Classic.Thorbjorn Olesen Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Source: Data Golf
Thorbjorn Olesen finished tied for 41st at last week's Rocket Mortgage Classic and will now focus on preparing for this week's John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. So far this season, Olesen has three top-10 finishes and missed the cut five times in 17 starts. Over the past 12 months, Olesen ranks in the 22nd percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is worth pointing out because over 34% of approach shots came from this distance at last year's John Deere Classic.