Unofficial host Zach Johnson feels right at home at the John Deere Classic, where he starts for the 24th time on Thursday at the course where he has made the cut 16 consecutive times.
The tournament is played at TPC Deere Run, just over the Iowa border and across the Mississippi River in Silvis, Ill.
“It’s going to sound strange, but my feet feel comfortable here,” said Johnson, 49, whose “Mr. Iowa” credentials stem from growing up in Iowa City, attending Drake University is Des Moines and being born in Cedar Rapids. “I grew up on bent grass fairways, bent grass greens. I had a lengthy putting session yesterday and kind of just — I’m not suggesting I’m going to putt great this week — but felt like, man, here we go. It’s hard to summarize that.”
For Johnson, he believes “boring” wins, and as a 12-time PGA Tour winner, the only style points he’s concerned about are the gleam of the trophy on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps another byproduct of age and experience, Johnson is determined not to overthink anything from tee to green this week.
“I think my game is at a point where execution is really the only — is really the main thing I got to focus on, and I love that,” said Johnson, who finished in the Top 10 at The Masters (T8) and Top 20 at the Texas Open (T18). “Every aspect of my game has been pretty solid. Everybody that knows me and knows me well, it’s boring, but I love boring. I’m really good at being boring. So I love boring golf. It’s everything here. It’s the hills, the bumps, it’s the rolls, it’s the speed, it’s just I’m comfortable. Doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. I think that answers why I’ve had a pretty consistent amount of arguably success.”
Outside of the Zurich Classic team event, Johnson has only one round under 70 since The Masters in April.
Johnson tied for 82nd last week at Detroit Golf Club, scrambling through the final three rounds after an opening 65 at the Rocket Classic. He is at TPC Deere Run with greater expectations two weeks prior to his 20th start in an Open Championship.
The last time the 2015 Open Championship winner was in the event at Royal Portrush, he missed the cut in 2019. Johnson has played on the weekend only once in the past four Opens. In his four starts prior (2015-18), Johnson won the Claret Jug and finished in the top 20 three consecutive years.
While the John Deere Classic doesn’t always boast a marquee field, Johnson said the 2025 event will prepare him for what’s ahead.
“This tournament has always had, if you call it that, a date that can be kind of difficult, right, as far as my peers go. It’s going to be the best field statistically if you look from a World Golf Rankings standpoint. I don’t really love that measure, but it’s legitimate. So the buzz is out as to how good this golf course is and this tournament is.”
–Field Level Media
