SILVIS, Illinois — If PGA Tour University had a syllabus, Jordan Spieth’s pin-rattling hole out from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole of the 2013 John Deere Classic would assuredly be on it.
That shot offers a masterclass in the art of making the most of an opportunity.
“I definitely remember that,” said Stanford senior Michael Thorbjornsen, who was 12 when Spieth holed that shot en route to his first PGA TOUR victory.
“Now, look at him, a multi-major winner, former No. 1, doing great things even 10 years later.”
This week, Thorbjornsen and fellow amateur Gordon Sargent will join recent PGA Tour University graduates and rookie pros Ludvig Aberg, Ross Steelman, William Mouw and Tommy Kuhl as the latest group of emerging stars embracing opportunity at TPC Deere Run on 6 to 9 July.
The John Deere Classic is a summer tradition in the Midwest. Part of the event’s history is its use of its sponsor exemptions to offer precious opportunities to up-and-comers, be they amateurs or new pros.
While some tournaments may prefer to invite more familiar names, like former major champs or Tour winners seeking a spot in the field, the Deere prides itself on skewing young with its invitations. We saw the effect of that last year, when Chris Gotterup, fresh off his senior season at Oklahoma, finished fourth at TPC Deere Run.
When Spieth won here in 2013, he was the youngest Tour winner in eight decades. Sargent, now the top-ranked amateur in the world, was 10 years old in 2013 but remembers Spieth’s win well.
“It definitely gives you a lot of confidence knowing there are players who jump-started their careers here,” the Vanderbilt junior said.
“It’s going to be a fun week.”
Since 1995, the John Deere Classic has been won five times by players under the age of 24. That’s the most on Tour in that span. When David Gossett won in 2001 — two years after he had won the US Amateur — he was the first player since Tiger Woods in 1996 to win while playing on a sponsor exemption.
Woods almost made the Deere his first win, as well.
Using a sponsor exemption to make his third PGA Tour start as a pro, Woods took the first 54-hole lead of his young career before being overtaken by Ed Fiori in the final round. Woods’ T5 finish in the Deere set the stage for him to earn the first of his 82 PGA Tour wins two weeks later at the Shriners Children’s Open.
TPC Deere Run is the land of opportunity. And that’s what the young players in this week’s field are seeking. An opportunity. To gain invaluable experience. To test their game against the best. To earn a paycheck and valuable FedExCup points. And, ultimately, a trophy.
Headlining this year’s crop is Ludvig Aberg, the Swede by way of Texas Tech.
He is golf’s version of Victor Wembanyama, the consensus top pick in this year’s NBA Draft class. Aberg swept college golf’s three player of the year awards in 2023 and was No. 1 in PGA Tour University, becoming the first to earn PGA Tour status through that program. pgatour.com
