John Deere Classic predictions: Knapp can secure second title
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- 15 of the last 17 winners of the John Deere Classic have been American
- Each of the last three winners have finished -21 or better
- Recommended Bets:
- Jake Knapp to win and each-way
- Luke Clanton to win and each-way
- Nicolas Echavarria to win and each-way
The PGA Tour returns to Illinois this week, with Davis Thompson looking to defend the John Deere Classic title he won 12 months ago.
With many of the big names taking the week off, this offers a good opportunity for those further down the rankings to rack up a victory.
TPC Deere Run is a course that normally allows plenty of birdies to be made and players in a confident mood will feel they can take advantage.
Knapp knocking on the door
Jake Knapp won for the first time on the PGA Tour in 2024 and has been showing signs of a return to the winner’s enclosure in the last few months.
The Californian showed his capability to mix it with the best during the ‘unofficial fifth Major’, when finishing T12 at the Players Championship back in March.
Knapp has missed four cuts since then, but in between times there have been some really positive signs, including a third-placed finish alongside Frankie Cappan III in April’s Zurich Classic pairs event.
A T27 spot at the recent Canadian Open was followed by a T4 finish at last week’s Rocket Classic, when he carded a second-round 61.
The 31-year-old now prepares for a tournament where he started well last year, with Knapp carding an opening round 66 at TPC Deere Run before eventually finishing T52.
Youngster Clanton looks to breakthrough
At 21, Luke Clanton is one of the youngest players on the PGA Tour and only became a professional back in February.
The former world number one amateur has the game to be a multiple winner and is very close to collecting a first-prize cheque.
Clanton, born and raised in Florida, has played in only eight tournaments since the start of 2025, but already has two top-20 finishes.
A third-round 77 put paid to his chances of another top-20 at last week’s Rocket Classic, but he now heads to an event where he finished in a tie for second 12 months ago.
Last year, Clanton carded four sub-70 rounds at TPC Deere Run, including 63s in both the first and final rounds.
Echavarria showing consistency
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A run of just one missed cut in his last nine events has seen Nicolas Echavarria move into the top-60 in the world.
The Colombian ranks fifth on Tour for putting and leads the stats for birdies on par-threes, as he seeks a third tournament victory this weekend.
Echavarria finished T6 at the Rocket Classic last week, having carded four sub-70 rounds, and now heads to a course he knows well.
The 30-year-old fired a first-round 66 at last year’s John Deere Classic, before finishing T52, and this will be his third appearance at TPC Deere Run.
