This article is part of our FantasyDraft PGA series.
John Deere Classic
Silvis, Illinois
TPC Deere Run - Par 71 - 7,268 yards
Field - 156 Entrants
Purse - $5.8M
The Preview
As a majority of golf's top talent heads across the pond this week for either the Scottish Open or to prepare for next week's Open Championship, a "midwest nice" crowd at TPC Deere Run welcomes one of the PGA Tour's weaker fields of the season featuring only four of the Official World Golf Ranking's top-50. Bryson DeChambeau won the event in 2017 at 18-under during just his second career appearance at the event, which had previously been dominated by former Fighting Illini standout Steve Stricker from 2009-2011. The highest finisher in the top-five not already exempt for next week's major will receive an invite, so there's much more on the line than just a victory for plenty of the field. A tee-time stack shouldn't be necessary this week as the weather in Silvis should be a non-factor for at least the first two days of the tournament before a chance of rain comes into play throughout the weekend.
Past Champions
2017 – Bryson DeChambeau
2016 – Ryan Moore
2015 – Jordan Spieth
2014 – Brian Harman
2013 – Jordan Spieth
2012 – Zach Johnson
2011 – Steve Stricker
2010 – Steve Stricker
2009 - Steve Stricker
FantasyDraft Value Picks - based on $100,000 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Bryson DeChambeau - $17,600
The defending champion followed up his recent win at the Memorial Tournament with a top-25 at the U.S. Open and a 22-birdie performance in his most recent start at the Travelers Championship, where he finished T9 with scores of 66-66-68-68. DeChambeau is up to sixth in the FedExCup standings and will look to climb even higher before travelling to Carnoustie for the Open Championship.
Zach Johnson - $17,500
A proven horse for the course, Johnson has finished outside of the top-five just once in his last SEVEN trips to TPC Deere Run where he mixed in a victory during his 2012 campaign. His game is in promising shape coming off back-to-back top-20s at the U.S. Open and Travelers Championship, while he also ranks second on Tour in proximity.
Glue Guys
Kevin Tway - $14,100
Tway has missed the cut just once in his last seven starts, while also notching a trio of top-10s during this span. He's inside the top-100 of the FedExCup standings as a result, while he'll look to build upon last year's T12 finish at the John Deere Classic.
Kelly Kraft - $14,000
Kraft notched a T5 during his first career appearance at the JDC in 2016, while his recent form includes a runner-up finish at last week's Greenbrier Classic where he played his first two rounds in 13-under-par and carded only seven bogeys throughout the week.
Scott Stallings - $13,800
Stallings managed to finish top-15 at The Greenbrier last week despite a spotty putting performance, while he ranked top-10 among the field in SG: Approach and hit nearly 80 percent of the greens in regulation. He's placed T5-T16 the past two years at the John Deere Classic.
Bargain Bin
Tyler Duncan - $13,300
Having not missed a cut since mid-April, Duncan has been a safe bet to be playing on the weekend throughout the past couple months as he continues to seek his first top-25 since February's Honda Classic. He's top-50 on Tour in both driving accuracy and GIR percentage, but must make improvements with the putter during his TPC Deere Run debut.
Harold Varner III - $13,300
Varner played his first three rounds at The Greenbrier in a combined 14-under-par, which led to his best finish of the season with a T5. He's now just inside of the top-125 in the FedExCup standings and gaining confidence, while another top-five performance this week could qualify him for The Open as the chips fall where they may.
Chad Campbell - $12,300
Campbell sits at a disappointing 182nd in the FedExCup standings this season, but he's made the cut in all 10 of his trips to the John Deere Classic including four consecutive top-30 finishes at the event. He's also top-50 on Tour in proximity and driving accuracy.
