Johnson one back of Glover, Blair at John Deere Classic
The 48-year-old’s 7-under 64 keeps him one shot behind co-leaders Lucas Glover and Zac Blair at TPC Deere Run.
The 48-year-old’s 7-under 64 keeps him one shot behind co-leaders Lucas Glover and Zac Blair at TPC Deere Run.
Zach Johnson carded a 7-under 64 to sit one stroke behind co-leaders Lucas Glover and Zac Blair at the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic on Thursday. Johnson’s round featured five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th, closing with a 30 on the back nine at TPC Deere Run. The 48-year-old moved into a tie for third with a 4-under total of 136, trailing Glover and Blair, who both shot 6-under 65s to share the lead at 5 under.
The surge marks Johnson’s best opening-round score at the John Deere Classic since 2019, when he opened with a 6-under 65. The tournament’s history of late-career winners adds weight to Johnson’s pursuit. Since 2010, five players aged 40 or older have won the John Deere Classic, including Steve Stricker in 2010 at age 43 and Kenny Perry in 2013 at 52.
Johnson, now 48, is chasing his first Tour title since the 2021 Dallas Open and a rare victory in a non-major event, a feat that would further cement his legacy among golf’s aging stars. The John Deere Classic has long been a platform for veteran players to defy expectations. The course’s layout—with its tight fairways and undulating greens—demands precision over power, a formula that favors experience over youth.
Johnson’s ability to navigate these challenges with a 7-under round underscores his adaptability, a trait that has defined his career. His performance also reflects a broader trend in modern golf, where conditioning and course management often outweigh raw athleticism. Johnson’s resurgence comes amid a reshape of the PGA Tour’s competitive landscape.
With LIV Golf siphoning top talent, the traditional tour has seen an influx of veteran players seeking to prove they still belong. The John Deere Classic, often overlooked in the season’s narrative, has become a microcosm of this shift. Johnson’s charge isn’t just about a single tournament; it’s a statement that the tour’s most experienced players remain a force, even as the tour’s younger stars dominate headlines.
“Just trying to keep the ball in play and give myself chances,” Johnson said after his round. m. CT in the second round, looking to extend his hot start and move closer to his first PGA Tour win in over three years.
His path hinges on maintaining the form that has kept him in contention at a course where precision off the tee and clutch putting have historically decided the winner. What’s next: The John Deere Classic has become a proving ground for veteran players seeking redemption. With Johnson’s resurgence, the tournament’s narrative shifts from a typical mid-season event to a stage where experience and grit collide with the relentless physical demands of a PGA Tour season.
If Johnson converts this early momentum, it could signal a broader trend of late-career triumphs, challenging the notion that golf’s top tier is exclusively for the young. Read at ESPN
A Johnson victory at the John Deere Classic would break a 42-month winless streak and deliver a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. At 48, he’s the oldest player in the field, and his early surge underscores the unpredictable nature of golf’s aging stars, who often defy the conventional timeline of decline. The tournament’s history of late-career winners—five since 2010—highlights the event’s reputation as a springboard for veteran comebacks, making Johnson’s charge a storyline worth watching beyond just the leaderboard. The John Deere Classic’s role in this narrative is critical: it’s not just a tournament, but a battleground where the tour’s most experienced players prove they still belong in a sport increasingly dominated by younger, more athletic competitors.
ESPNespn.comJul 3, 1:12 AMen
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