July 2, 2025
Jake Knapp posted a course-record 11-under 61 in the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic and ultimately finished T4 in Detroit. He'll look to carry that momentum into the John Deere Classic, where he has competed just once, finishing T52 last year. To succeed at TPC Deere Run, players need to be solid from tee to green and accurate off the tee. Knapp ranks 78th in strokes gained from tee to green (plus-0.216 per round) and 101st off the tee (plus-0.017), but he struggles with accuracy, ranking just 159th in that category. His approach play has been a strength, ranking 59th in strokes gained on approach (plus-0.203), and he sits in the 58th percentile in proximity from 100–150 yards, a key range that accounted for 34.2% of approach shots here last year. Knapp is riding momentum, and at $9,400 on DraftKings, he shapes up as a solid play for fantasy managers.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
July 2, 2025
Sungjae Im has had a rollercoaster season, missing five cuts but also notching seven top-25 finishes. He'll look to find more consistency this week at the John Deere Classic, where he's made three prior starts and finished T26 or better twice. Success at TPC Deere Run requires strong tee-to-green play and accuracy off the tee, areas where Im has shown mixed results. He ranks 96th in strokes gained from tee to green (plus-0.015 per round), 23rd off the tee (plus-0.389), and an impressive 12th in driving accuracy. However, his approach play has been a major weakness, ranking 171st and losing 0.926 strokes per round. He also ranks in just the seventh percentile in proximity from 100–150 yards, a range that made up 34.2% of all approach shots here last year. At $9,200 on DraftKings, Im carries risk, but if his iron play improves even slightly, he has the all-around game to pay off the price tag.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
July 2, 2025
Ryan Gerard finished T41 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, marking his third consecutive event outside the top 40. However, he's recorded eight top-25 finishes and three top-10s this season. He'll look to get back on track at the John Deere Classic, where he has competed just once, finishing T26 in 2023. To succeed at TPC Deere Run, players need to be solid from tee to green and accurate off the tee. Gerard ranks 22nd in strokes gained from tee to green (plus-0.798 per round), 47th off the tee (plus-0.246), 22nd on approach (plus-0.473), and 55th in driving accuracy. He also ranks in the 62nd percentile in proximity from 100–150 yards, a key range that accounted for 34.2% of all approach shots here last year. At $8,500 on DraftKings, Gerard profiles as a very solid option this week.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
July 2, 2025
Rickie Fowler missed the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, carding seven bogeys and finishing four strokes off the cut line. It was just his second missed cut of the season, and he'll tee it up this week at the John Deere Classic for the first time since 2010. To succeed at TPC Deere Run, players need to be solid from tee to green and accurate off the tee. Fowler currently ranks 102nd in strokes gained from tee to green (minus-0.028 per round), 65th off the tee (plus-0.162), and 51st in driving accuracy. He also ranks in the 68th percentile in proximity from 100–150 yards, a key range that accounted for 34.2% of all approach shots here last year. Fowler's ability to bounce back will be tested this week, and at $8,000 on DraftKings, he's a bit of a gamble with decent upside.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
July 2, 2025
Cameron Champ put together a strong performance at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, posting rounds of 68-69-66-68 to finish T17. This marks his second consecutive top-20 finish, and he'll look to carry that momentum into the John Deere Classic, an event he has played five times, making just two cuts and finishing inside the top 50 only once. To succeed at TPC Deere Run, players need to be solid from tee to green and accurate off the tee. Champ finds the fairway at a 67.50% clip while gaining 0.673 strokes from tee to green and 0.871 strokes off the tee. However, he ranks in just the 28th percentile in proximity from 100–150 yards, a key range that accounted for 34.2% of all approach shots here last year. At $7,200 on DraftKings, Champ's recent form may make him a popular pick, but given his limited success at this course and a made-cut rate of just 57.1% this season, he remains one of the more volatile options in the field.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
July 2, 2025
Jackson Suber has put his golf game back together the last two events. The young American golfer is only 25 but has back-to-back Top 20 results. Suber also has netted eight straight rounds in the 60's. He did have three weeks between events in June which seemed to help his performance. Anyway, Suber has played 16 tournaments in 2025 with making and missing the cut eight times each. He finished -20 at the Rocket Classic which was tied for sixth. The concern is when adversity hits. Suber is a streaky golfer and that was punctuated by four missed cuts in a five event run that included a 77-75 at the Valero Texas Open. TPC Deere Run is a course set up for lower scoring and staying below 70 will be vital to Suber's bottom line.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
Kevin Roy picked the right time to improve his numbers. The American golfer is playing some of his best golf of 2025 right now. He comes off his first Top 10 since March at the Puerto Rico Open. Roy finished T-8 at the Rocket Classic last week behind an opening 62 and a closing 67. Making the most of those birdie chances is essential at TPC Deere Run. No golfer has shot worse than -18 and won since 2008. Putting is usually below average for Roy but his last five starts have seen notable improvements in strokes gained (0.379 compared to 0.03). He avoids bogeys at a great rate (12.37%) and that ranks fourth on the PGA Tour. It is why Roy may be a reasonable option for betting and DFS platforms.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
Justin Lower is almost infamous for what happened at the U.S. Open in June. The American golfer went 83-84 and missed the cut. It was tied for the second worst score of the week at Oakmont. Since then, Lower did improve at the Rocket Classic finishing T-46. He made the most birdies in stroke play since The American Express in January. Lower ranks 74th in putting at 0.095 strokes gained. His one putt percentage rolls in at 62nd (40.81%). Lower's ability to make birdies surfaces on less challenging courses like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Yes, that resulted in his second Top 10 of the season but it was not a solo event. However, Lower has the ability to be a daily fantasy factor if he can string holes together like he did at The American Express in January.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
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.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
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.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
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.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
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.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 2, 2025
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.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
July 1, 2025
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.
--Todd McGillSource: PGA Tour
July 1, 2025
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.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
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