The First Look: John Deere Classic

With the John Deere Classic beginning as July opens – and the sprint to the FedExCup Playoffs is firmly on – so begins the career of one of the game’s brightest young stars.

Jackson Koivun will make his debut as a pro this week at TPC Deere Run after a celebrated and almost unheralded collegiate career.

He knows what it takes to play well on the PGA TOUR, and this week marks the next step in what should be an exciting start to his career.

There are plenty of other storylines as the TOUR returns to Illinois this week with notable stars, major champs, and up-and-comers all vying for the title.

Here’s everything else you need to know.

FIELD NOTES:Koivun, who finished T23 at the U.S. Open, earned his way to the TOUR via PGA TOUR University’s Accelerated program. In fact, he’s had a TOUR card since last May, but he led Auburn University to its second NCAA Championship in three years earlier this spring. He’s the third player to earn TOUR status via the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program. Koivun notched 11 wins in three seasons at Auburn. He finished T11 at the John Deere Classic last year (he played seven TOUR events in 2025 and made the weekend in all but one) and had a tidy run of results after that, finishing T6 at the ISCO Championship, T5 at the Wyndham Championship, and T4 at the Procore Championship. … Other young stars set to tee it up at John Deere include Luke Clanton and Blades Brown. Clanton, like Koivun, also earned his TOUR card via PGA TOUR University’s Accelerated program, while Brown accepted Special Temporary Member status earlier this month after a T14 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Brown, who is just 19, has four top-20 finishes this season. … Jordan Spieth returns to TPC Deere Run, a place that has been a happy hunting ground in his career. Spieth, whose first TOUR title came at the John Deere Classic in 2013 in an electric playoff when he was just 19 (becoming the first teenager to win on TOUR since 1931), also won in a playoff in 2015. Spieth went nine years before teeing it up at TPC Deere Run again and finished T26 in 2024. This marks his return after two years. … Brian Campbell returns to defend. There hasn't been a back-to-back winner at TPC Deere Run since Steve Stricker won three in a row from 2009-2011. … Other past champs who are in action include Davis Thompson (2024), Lucas Glover (2021), Michael Kim (2018) and J.T. Poston (2022). Poston won the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday and then notched his career-best major result at the U.S. Open, where he finished T4. … Other notables teeing it up at TPC Deere Run include two-time winner this season Chris Gotterup, Ben Griffin, Jacob Bridgeman, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler and Max Homa. Homa finished T5 a year ago, his first top-10 finish on TOUR in a 15-month stretch.

SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: Reigning U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell will make his sixth start of the season on the PGA TOUR. Howell, who won the U.S. Amateur at just 18 years old – the third youngest winner in tournament history – is set to start his collegiate career at Georgia this fall. … Preston Stout, who won the NCAA individual title earlier this month, will tee it up for the third time on TOUR this season, including the U.S. Open. Stout, who finished his junior year at Oklahoma State, had five wins this season – the most by a junior in program history. … Ryan Voois will make his PGA TOUR debut. Voois, of the University of Illinois, was named the 2026 Byron Nelson Award recipient. He teed it up on PGA TOUR Americas last week in Wichita, where he finished T17 in his first start as a pro. … Dylan Fritteli, who won the 2019 edition of the John Deere, returns to action on TOUR for the first time since The RSM Classic last November.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points

COURSE: TPC Deere Run, par 71, 7,327 yards. With the loss of an iconic near-century-old tree, the par-4 fourth has seen almost 40 yards added to it for this year, with a new tee box built in the springtime.

The course, established in 1999, has plenty of birdie opportunities but risk-reward scenarios as well. There are lots of dramatic elevation changes on the course, which used to be an Arabian horse farm. The club has played host to the PGA TOUR since 2000.

72-HOLE RECORD: 256, Davis Thompson (2024)

18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Paul Goydos (Round 1, 2010)

LAST TIME:Brian Campbell won for the second time in 2025, defeating Emiliano Grillo in a playoff. Both his wins came in extra holes. Campbell and Grillo shot final-round 67s. The playoff lacked any real drama as Grillo hit his approach shot long and barely got his returning chip onto the putting surface, while Campbell had just 16 feet for birdie. He casually two-putted for the win.

Kevin Roy and David Lipsky finished tied for third, both just one shot back of Campbell and Grillo. There was a six-way tie for fifth.

How to follow (all times ET)

Television: 

• Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
• Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+:

• Thursday-Sunday: 7:45 a.m.-7 p.m.

PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+

• Main feed (Stream 1): Primary tournament coverage featuring the best action from across the course
• Marquee group (Stream 2): New "marquee group" showcasing every shot from each player in the group
• Featured groups (Stream 3): Traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups
• Featured holes (Stream 4): Combination of par 3s and iconic or pivotal holes

PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and free at PGATOUR.com/liveaudio:

• Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m.
• Saturday-Sunday: 1-6 p.m.