Lucas Glover and Zac Blair share the first-round lead at the John Deere Classic after posting bogey-free, 8-under 63s on Thursday in Silvis, Ill.
Zach Johnson, Lee Hodges and German Stephan Jaeger are one stroke behind the co-leaders after one trip around TPC Deere Run. Davis Riley used a hole-in-one and an eagle on consecutive holes to shoot a 6-under 65, where he’s tied with Ben Kohles and Patrick Fishburn.
Glover, 46, birdied seven of his first 11 holes before cooling down the rest of the way.
The 2009 U.S. Open champion won the John Deere in 2021 and has collected three of his six PGA Tour titles in this decade. He said the 63 — his lowest round of the year by four shots — showed him his game is “still there.”
“It’s easy to lose belief in that when you’ve been struggling,” Glover said. “Like I said, I saw some good things Sunday (at the Travelers Championship), even though I finished wherever I finished, way down there. Saw some good stuff. Been having just a lot of those days where my ball seemed to just roll away from the hole. Today it kind of rolled towards it, so maybe it’s turning.”
Blair, meanwhile, is searching for his first PGA Tour victory. The 35-year-old started his day on the back nine, then went birdie-eagle at Nos. 1-2 for a boost. He led the field in strokes gained on approach.
“Just trying not to chase every flag, maybe, and do dumb things and just get a lot of looks,” Blair said. “Felt like I did a pretty good job with that.”
Johnson’s eagle-birdie finish pushed him near the top of the leaderboard and all but ensured he will make the cut at the John Deere for an incredible 18th year in a row. The native of nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has played the event every year since 2002 and skipped the U.S. Senior Open this week to keep that streak going.
“The outcome of my week from a golf standpoint, professionally speaking, just is irrelevant almost,” Johnson said. “I don’t know if it’s everything’s icing on the cake, but you could maybe say it’s kind of that way, as well.
“I just love being here, you know, and I’m comfortable obviously, so my scorecard — I know that’s an ingredient this week, but it’s not everything.”
Riley stood at 2 under for his round before sinking the first hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career at the par-3, 150-yard 16th hole. His 9-iron shot landed just behind the pin and slowly spun back to the cup. He followed that up with an 18 1/2-foot eagle putt at the par-5 17th.
“(On) the back nine I felt like I was hitting some high-quality shots,” Riley said. “Then obviously to get the hole-in-one and to eagle the next was the kicker for me and what made today what could have been a pretty average day into a really good day.”
Defending champion Brian Campbell and two-time John Deere winner Jordan Spieth opened with 1-under 70s.
–Field Level Media
