Sleeper Picks: John Deere Classic

Cam Davis (+190 for a Top 20) … The 27-year-old Aussie leads off what really is a pool of candidates for top-40 plays. The John Deere Classic is wide open, so simply multiply your units where most confident. He’s 2-for-2 with a scoring average of 69.25 at TPC Deere Run, but he’s still chasing his first top 50 in the tournament. In his last dozen starts this season, he’s connected for only two top 40s, but both were top 10s, and on relatively similar tests at that – Harbour (T3) and Colonial (T7). Ranging six feet, four inches, he has plenty of muscle, but he profiles strongest on par 3s and as a scorer. Sam Ryder (+350 for a Top 20) … On the surface for those who weren’t paying attention or don’t recall, his co-runner-up in his rookie debut at TPC Deere Run in 2018 was akin to sharing B-flight honors. That was the edition during which Michael Kim established the tournament records in scoring (27-under 257) and margin of victory (eight strokes). It nonetheless was invaluable to Ryder’s comfort level on the PGA TOUR, but his ace at the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale earlier this year easily is his most memorable moment for fans. Even so, he’s cashed in all three trips and owns a scoring average of 67.92 in his 12 loops of the par 71. While he’s 95th in the FedExCup, he’s scuffled in his last 10 tries in individual competition, so the JDC arrives at a time when he needs a boost. Kevin Chappell (+450 for a Top 20) … When he failed to meet the terms of his Major Medical Extension during the same WM Phoenix Open where Ryder made history, he tumbled into the Past Champions category and admitted that he wasn’t sure what his future held. Well, with his 36th birthday on the horizon (July 8), he’s stayed active enough not to rule out a continuation of the lifestyle that he knows best. He’s added a pair of top 20s and sits 182nd in the FedExCup to at least give himself a great chance to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. One more solid performance would cement entry at worst, and it stands to reason that it will be an early birthday present at TPC Deere Run where he’s 3-for-3 with a T8 in his last appearance in 2015. Kelly Kraft (+500 for a Top 20) … Like Chappell, Kraft also fell short on his medical extension (at the Valspar Championship) but he’s fully exempt as a Korn Ferry Tour Finals graduate, so it specifically didn’t slow him down. His form in general has been suspect for most of the season, but he landed in the Quad Cities with four cuts made in his last five starts, two of which for a top 20. Leads the PGA TOUR in conversion percentage inside 10 feet, so no one is more dangerous to prevail in a putting contest. However, he’ll need to dial in his irons so as not to put too much pressure on his sharpest weapon to score. With a 4-for-4 slate at TPC Deere Run, he knows his way around the property to optimize all facets of his game right now. Scott Brown (+450 for a Top 20) … Call it a risk or call it shrewd, but don’t base the decision on the result. The 39-year-old is 210th in the FedExCup. He’s also 78th in Korn Ferry Tour points. KFT members who also are exempt on the PGA TOUR are in week-to-week mode to determine where they want to focus their efforts. With only five KFT events remaining to determine the top 25 who earn 2022-23 PGA TOUR cards and the top 75 eligible for the KFT Finals, every week is critical. Because he’s not fully exempt on the PGA TOUR, he could be in Colorado for the KFT’s The Ascendent presented by Blue. However, that he’s opted for TPC Deere Run is obvious. He hasn’t missed an edition since splashing in 2012 and has recorded three top 10s and another four top 25 in nine starts. Last year’s T4 occurred during an extended slump that would define his demotion to Past Champion status this season. Fresh off a T10 at the Live and Work in Maine Open, he’s actually at the center of converging trends, too. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM .

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