2025 John Deere Classic Sleepers and Expert Picks: Back Luke Clanton, Bud Cauley at TPC Deere Run
There are no major stars in the John Deere Classic field this week, so it's the perfect time to buy longshots. Can Luke Clanton, Bud Cauley, and others make a splash at TPC Deere Run? It's anyone's tournament this week, and Matt MacKay breaks down the sleepers for the 2025 John Deere Classic.
Matt MacKay - July 2, 2025, 4:30 PM EDT
5 Minute Read2025 John Deere Classic Sleepers and Expert Picks: Back Luke Clanton, Bud Cauley at TPC Deere Run
A full field of 156 golfers will compete at the 2025 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run this week. Located in Silvis, Illinois, also known as the Quad Cities region, this par 71 was built on an Arabian horse farm along the Rock River.
There are plenty of elevation changes throughout the course and small, undulated bentgrass greens measuring under 5,500 square feet. Putting velocity is expected to be around 12.5 feet via Stimpmeter, with big sand bunkers along doglegged fairways and guarding the greens.
Scores tend to be low at TPC Deere Run. Davis Thompson's maiden victory here in 2024 saw him set a course record 28-under-par, beating the field by four strokes. Hayden Springer also shot a 59 in Round 1 here a year ago, tying the 18 hole record at 12-under-par.
Just like last week at the Rocket Classic, this event is wide-open for the taking. Aldrich Potgieter won his first PGA Tour event at +11000 odds in a five-hole playoff over other longshots that included Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk.
Ben Griffin is currently the 2025 John Deere Classic betting favorite at +1600 odds. He's followed by Jason Day (+2500) and Denny McCarthy (+2800), with J.T. Poston and Michael Thorbjornsen available at +3300 odds. It's another great PGA Tour event to target sleepers who hold big value in the outright winner betting market.
PGA handicapper Matt MacKay has his top sleepers and value picks to tail ahead of Round 1 at the 2025 John Deere Classic. Follow Matt's X account for more PGA betting analysis and free picks.
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2025 John Deere Classic Odds
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2025 JOHN DEERE CLASSIC DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: Thursday, July 3 - Sunday, July 6, 2025
- Time: 7:45 AM - 7:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: ESPN+, Golf Channel, CBS, Paramount+
2025 John Deere Classic Sleeper Picks
Luke Clanton (+4000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best John Deere Classic odds
Luke Clanton is no longer an amateur and will look to replicate his production at TPC Deere Run this week. The 21-year-old has a pair of top 20 finishes on the PGA Tour in 2025 but his form has been pedestrian lately, carding a T60 finish at the Rocket Classic after shooting a 77 on Saturday.
Clanton's 40-1 odds are simply based on how well he played at this event in 2024. He shot 8-under-par in the first and final rounds, while finishing 4-under-par on all four days.
Clanton shot 3-under-par or lower in three of four rounds at Detroit Golf Club. One blow-up round derailed his ability to grab a top 20 or top 10 finish, so I expect a bounce-back at a course he should feel comfortable navigating.
Bud Cauley (+4000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best John Deere Classic odds
Bud Cauley will be playing in his eighth John Deere Classic this week. The 35-year-old golfer has four top 10 finishes in 2025, most recently at the Charles Schwab Challenge in late May.
Ranked 15th in total strokes gained, including 16th SG: Approach, 37th proximity and 43rd SG: Putting, there's a lot to like about Cauley's game right now. He's also 41st scrambling, seventh in sand save percentage and 37th in one-putt percentage.
+4000 odds is fairly short for a golfer like Cauley, indicating they are bullish on the veteran ball-striker to climb into contention at some point in the Quad Cities.
Lucas Glover (+4000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best John Deere Classic odds
Lucas Glover always piques my interest when he's in a field without most of the top-ranked PGA Tour golfers. The 45-year-old won the 2021 John Deere Classic at 19-under-par and carded a T23 finish in 2024.
Glover is a tee-to-green tactician, ranked 24th SG: Approach and seventh in driving accuracy. He's also fifth in proximity, 22nd scrambling from the rough and top-50 in putts per round this season.
The last event Glover played saw him card a T9 finish during the Travelers Championship. He's rested and ready to roll at one of his best courses. Three top 10 finishes, including his outright win, in three of the past five appearances playing TPC Deere Run.
Andrew Putnam (+7500) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best John Deere Classic odds
Andrew Putnam's short game is where he earns his paychecks on the PGA Tour. The 36-year-old has two top 10 finishes in 2025, which have both happened in the previous two events he's played, including a T8 at the Rocket Classic.
Lacks distance off-the-tee but sits 36th SG: Approach and 13th SG: Putting. Also sixth in driving accuracy and 11th at finding greens in regulation.Second in scrambling and 16th for sand save percentage led to ranking fifth in scoring average (69.3) and eighth on par 4s.
Putnam has not had a finish inside the top 40 in five visits to TPC Deere Run. However, I expect that will change this week based on his current form trending up.
Jackson Suber (+12500) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best John Deere Classic odds
My favorite sleeper in the longshot range is Jackson Suber. The 25-year-old has gone T18-T6 in his two previous events played at the RBC Canadian Open and Rocket Classic.
Suber ranks eighth SG: Approach, 22nd proximity and 37th for approach shots from 200+ yards. Also top 60 for greens in regulation hit and driving distance. Driving accuracy and putting are weaknesses for Suber.
He's making his debut at the John Deere Classic but enters with a lot of momentum from his T6 finish at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday. At 125-1 odds, Suber is definitely worth a small investment due to his elite ball-striking talent.
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