2021 John Deere Classic: PGA Tour Betting Odds
Daniel Berger is favoured on the golf odds.
This event annually rents a private jet to fly players over to the United Kingdom afterward as an inducement for them to play in this event ahead of the British Open. The final spot in that field will go to a golfer who finishes in the Top 5 this week if not already qualified.
The host course is TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, but also right near the Iowa border. It’s a par 71 at around 7,265 yards and a pretty easy track. One of the few 59s on the PGA Tour was shot here in 2010 by Paul Goydos, and in 2018 the winning score was a whopping 27-under 257 by Michael Kim.
Tournament organizers opted to cancel the 2020 tournament because fans weren’t allowed and the event would have lost a lot of money. A one-time only tournament replaced it in Akron, Ohio. Thus, the defending champion is South African Dylan Frittelli, who shot 21-under 263 two years ago to beat out Russell Henley by two shots. Frittelli is +6800 to repeat.
It was the first time someone from South Africa won the event; it largely has been Americans. It also remains Frittelli’s lone PGA Tour win. He has a couple on the European Tour.
Outside of 2020, the John Deere Classic has been an annual Tour staple since its inception in 1972 when it was called the Quad Cities Open. It has been held at TPC Deere Run since 2000. One player will be making his PGA Tour debut this week and that’s Mito Pereira (+6700), who received a “battlefield promotion” from the Korn Ferry Tour after winning three times on that developmental circuit.
At age 54, Steve Stricker has chosen to play in this tournament instead of the U.S. Senior Open. He won the John Deere Classic three years in a row from 2009-2011. He’s +5600 to win this week and is one of nine former winners of this event teeing it up. Five of the last nine champions have been first-time winners.
2021 John Deere Classic Golf Odds
Daniel Berger, ranked 16th in the world, is the +900 favourite. He hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since a T7 at the U.S. Open. Berger has played this tournament twice and finished T33 and T5.
Brian Harman and Sungjae Im are each +1400. Harman won here in 2014 and has one Top 10 at the event since. Im made his first start here in 2019 and was T26. Russell Henley is +1600 with Kevin Streelman +1800. Henley had that runner-up here two years ago. Streelman was T7 when he played here last in 2018.
Canada’s Dave Barr won this event in 1981 in a playoff over fellow Canadian Dan Halldorson as well as Woody Blackburn, Frank Conner and Victor Regalado. David Hearn (and Zach Johnson) lost in a 2013 playoff against Jordan Spieth. Hearn is +19600 this week; he missed the cut in 2019. Roger Sloan is +7800; he was T10 two years ago. Nick Taylor (+10200) has a best finish of T33 at this event. Michael Gligic (+22000) makes his tournament debut.
John Deere Classic Golf Predictions
Take Im and Sloan for Top 10s but the winner at +14400 is Andrew Landry. He’s not having a particularly good season but been third (2019) and T8 at this tournament.