Niall Lyons has five selections covering the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, Silvus, Illinois.
John Deere Classic
The John Deere Classic takes place this week at TPC Deere Run, Silvus, Illinois.
The course here is a shortish par 71 that doesn't tend to test the golfers off the tee much at all. Distance is preferred slightly over accuracy but must be said there is little in it and what you do off the tee shouldn't determine your fate.
Instead that fate will be decided on approach or with the putter. A hot putter is no doubt needed here to make the requisite scores to contend as low 60s rounds will be plentiful and there could easily be a flirtation with a round in the 50s.
It's a true birdie fest where any momentum lost will be crucial. We look to the previous two weeks at TPC River Highlands and Detroit for pointers as to who's scoring well as anyone not taking advantage of these easier layouts may be worth swerving.
With a lot of wedges to play this week Sedgefield is another track we look to for any correlating form.
Below is a look at the stats of the top performers in the last four editions of this tournament.
John Deere Classic Tips
- 2pts each-way J.Day 22/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market, WilliamHill
- 1.5pts each-way B.Cauley 45/1 (1/5 6) Unibet, Bet MGM
- 1pt each-way J.Bridgeman 66/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
- 1pt each-way A.Putnam 55/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
- 0.5pt each-way B.Burgoon 1000/1 (1/5 8) WilliamHill
John Deere Classic Tips
Jason Day at 22/1 (Eight Places)
Jason Day has been simmering for a number of months now and he should be suited by a return to a slightly more strategic layout at Deere Run.
23-15-15 in three of his last four efforts here suggest he can play well here but it was the quality of his golf both at the US Open and at the Travelers that perks my attention here.
His long game has clicked into gear and although we've had a few false dawns in this scenario contending down the stretch at River Highlands may just be the experience he needs to kick on and get back into the winners circle.
With a lot of emphasis on putting from inside 15 feet we know how lethal Day can be in that department and he is one where we could see a graphic pop up on Sunday evening with a 100% success rate inside 5 feet or the likes.
It's a weak enough affair this for Day to take advantage of and I won't be passing up anything bigger than 20/1.
2pts each-way J.Day 22/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market, WilliamHill
Bud Cauley at 45/1 (Six Places)
Bud Cauley looks to have returned to somewhere near his best and it may be time for this once young prodigy to realise his potential and land a PGA Tour victory.
Injuries have ruined what was a very promising career but now at 35 years of age he looks to be finding something special and he's worth siding with here.
Cauley had a huge chance to win the Players Championship at Sawgrass in March but it didn't quite happen on the final day finishing in a tie for 6th place in the end.
That 6th place together with 4th at Copperhead and 3rd at Colonial suggests Cauley is at his best when there's an ounce more strategy off the tee and it's not a bombers paradise.
Even his 5th place at the Texas Open is worthy of note as the trend for big hitters was bucked there this year with Brian Harman winning.
He has three top 20 finishes here as well as a 3rd and another two top 15s at Sedgefield so he must be one of the likelier sorts to get involved here at the weekend.
Jacob Bridgeman at 66/1 (Eight Places)
On the face of it Jacob Bridgeman doesn't look in the very best of form with three missed cuts in his last six but signs were positive last week in Detroit and good enough for me to select him at 60/1 or bigger.
He has struggled off the tee in the last couple of weeks but Deere Run should be perfect where it doesn't demand the same length as recent weeks.
Instead he'll need to dial p his wedges if anything but his approach game was in solid nick last week at the Rocket Classic.
Putting has been super the last few weeks and a continuation of that should see him go well here.
Andrew Putnam at 55/1 (Eight Places)
One of my first ports of call for this event is a crossover between form here and Sedgefield where wedge play and putting inside 15 feet is extremely important.
Andrew Putnam's form between the two courses makes for really grim reading with a best finish of 27th across the two and a total of six missed cuts, but I find him difficult to leave off the staking plan this week regardless.
There is no reason to suggest why Putnam shouldn't perform here given length off the tee is not a prerequisite and it's really what you do after the tee shot that counts.
It often becomes somewhat of a putting contest and it's mind boggling why Putnam hasn't shown better form on these tracks.
I'd overlook him normally for that reason but we can't ignore the current form of 6th in the Canadian Open then 8th last week in Detroit.
He comes here in superb form on what should be an ideal course and despite the reservations given his past history here I'm going to stay strong and select him off the back of recent efforts.
His wedge play is excellent as has his putting been from the important ranges to score here at Deere Run.
Bronson Burgoon at 1000/1 (Eight Places)
Finally we shall swing from the stars with a 1000/1 shot in the shape of Bronson Burgoon.
Burgoon has suffered badly with injury throughout his career and this year has been another tough spell. Recently though he has made three of his last four cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour finishing 11th just last time out at the Wichita Open.
His last 10 rounds of golf now read 68-66-69-67-69-73-68-38-72-65. Burgoon now returns to the scene of only his second runner up finish on the PGA Tour where finished 8 shots behind runaway winner Michael Kim.
With some inspiration at this venue and some recent good golf the 1000/1 looks worthy of a small bet.
