SILVIS, Ill. — The John Deere Classic has produced the most first-time winners of any occasion on the PGA Tour since 1970.
A complete of 24 gamers have secured their first victory at TPC Deere Run, including the likes of Roger Maltbie (1975), David Toms (1997) and a 19-year-old Jordan Spieth (2013). Even one of the designers of TPC Deere Run, D.A. Weibring, is a first-timer at the John Deere (he really won the JDC 3 times, all at Oakwood Country Club).
It’s become a haven for younger, proficient golfers to break into the winner’s circle and stamp their identify as a future star. So could we see it again this 12 months?
There’s actually a good likelihood.
With 36 holes in the books, let’s take a look at who could be a part of the first-time winners membership at the 2025 John Deere Classic.
Doug Ghim
Position after second spherical: Leader (12 under)
The 29-year-old PGA Tour veteran is in search of his first victory in 162 begins. Ghim shot 9-under 62 on Thursday and adopted it up with a 68 on Friday. The Illinois native is feeling proper at home, just a few hours-drive away from his hometown in the Chicago space. Ghim has two high 5 finishes and 4 high 10s in his seven-year profession on Tour.
David Lipsky
Position after second spherical: T2 (11 under)
Lipsky has quietly put collectively a actually strong profession since turning professional in 2011, but he’s still trying for that elusive first win. He has 12 high 10s and 4 high 5s to his identify – his best end coming at the Procore Championship in September 2024 where he was runner-up. Lipsky shot 7-under 64 Thursday and stayed in rivalry with a 67 in the second spherical.
Taylor Montgomery
Position after second spherical: T7 (10 under)
Montgomery missed every cut in 5 begins between March 30 and May 11 before ending T36 at the RBC Canadian Open in early June. Now, he finds himself with a likelihood to nab his first win. The 30-year-old from Las Vegas shot 4-under 67 Thursday and adopted it with a 65 Friday, which included eight birdies. Montgomery has flirted with victory before. He has 5 high 10s and three high 5s in his eight season on Tour.
Sam Stevens
Position after second spherical: T7 (10 under)
Stevens is another participant who has been knocking on the door of the winner’s circle for fairly some time now. In 88 begins on Tour, he’s amassed two runner-up finishes, 5 high 5s and 9 high 10s. That consists of a solo runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open and a solo third place end at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Could this be the week the 28-year-old Texan finishes the job?
Kevin Roy
Position after second spherical: T7 (10 under)
Roy set the course file at Detroit Golf Club with a 62 in the first spherical of the Rocket Classic last week. That stood for less than 24 hours, but he seems to have carried that type into the John Deere Classic, where he shot 4-under 67 Thursday and adopted it with a 65 Friday. Roy is 36 years outdated and has just three high 10 finishes in 49 begins on the PGA Tour.
Jackson Koivun (a)
Position after second spherical: T16 (8 under)
Wouldn’t this be something? Jackson Koivun could become just the fourth novice to win on the PGA Tour since 1957. Nick Dunlap did it at the American Express in 2024, turning into the first novice winner since Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in 1991 to win a PGA Tour occasion when he came out victorious at the American Express in 2024. Koivun, the No. 1 ranked novice in the world who plans to return to Auburn University this fall for his junior season, shot bogey-free 64 Friday to enter the weekend just 4 pictures back of the lead at the John Deere Classic.
Denny McCarthy
Position after second spherical: T16 (8 under)
Of all the gamers on this checklist, McCarthy is the most completed. He has 29 high 10 finishes, 9 high 5s and a runner-up. But he still hasn’t won. That could change at TPC Deere Run, where McCarthy shot 66 and 68 in the first and second spherical, respectively. And if you’re the superstitious sort, it’s important to observe that McCarthy is staying in the “Trophy House” — an Airbnb close to the golf course where the last three John Deere Classic champions have stayed: Davis Thompson (2024), Sepp Straka (2023) and J.T. Poston (2022).
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