PGA TOUR
John Deere Classic
Poston Delivers Impressive Win at the John Deere Classic
JT Poston produced a stunning wire-to-wire performance to win the John Deere Classic by three shots. The 29-year-old American becomes the third player to go wire-to-wire at the John Deere Classic after Scott Hoch 1980 and David Frost in 1992. It was Poston’s second PGA Tour title. He won the 2019 Wyndham Championship where he became the first player since 1974 to win a PGA Tour event while going bogey-free all four rounds. South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Argentine’s Emiliano Grillo took a share of second place. Both players joined Poston locking up a spot to The Open Championship at St Andrews courtesy of finishing top 3 this week. Australia’s Cam Davis finished inside the top 10.
Poston shot a 9-under 62 at TPC Deere Run on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead after the first round. With his low round he becomes the first player on record to open consecutive PGA Tour events with 62 or better. He shot 62 in the first round of the Travelers Championship last week. Poston backed up his impressive first round with scores of 65 and 67 to take a three-shot into Sunday. His lead stretched to five shots after starting his final round with three consecutive birdies. The margin over Grillo narrowed to just one shot at the 10th hole. Poston rallied after dropping shots at the 5th and 6th holes covering his final 12 holes with 11 pars and one birdie at the par 5, 17th hole. Poston carded rounds of 62, 65, 67 and 69 to reach 21-under.
Bezuidenhout and Grillo took a share of second place at 18-under. Bezuidenhout closed with a bogey-free 5-under 66. It was the 28-year-old’s best finish on the PGA Tour, besting his 7th place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year. Grillo, aged 29, was searching for his second PGA Tour title after collecting the 2015 Frys.com Open. The 2016 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year produced a final round 2-under 69.
Americans Christopher Gotterup and Scott Stallings finished in a tie for fourth place at 17-under. Gotterup received a start this week courtesy of a sponsor invitation. The 22-year-old birdie the final three holes to sign for a final round 5-under 66. It was his best finish on the PGA Tour. Stallings missed a birdie putt from 32 feet at the 72nd hole, which would have taken him to St Andrews for the 150th Open Championship. He closed with a 1-under 70 to record 22 consecutive rounds of par or better at the John Deere Classic.
Cam Davis led the contingent of eight Australians in the field. The 27-year-old from Sydney posted rounds of 68, 68 65 and 68 to reach 15-under to finish in a tie for 8th place. Aaron Baddeley was the only other Aussie to make the cut. The PGA Tour veteran signed for a final round 2-under 69 to get to 7-under and finish in a tie for 51st place.
The PGA Tour sails across the ditch to Scotland for the Genesis Scottish Open staged at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick. Australia’s Min Woo Lee is the defending champion.
Final Scores
John Deere Classic
1. JT Poston -21
T2. Christiaan Bezuidenhout -18
T2. Emiliano Grillo -18
T4. Christopher Gotterup -17
T4. Scott Stallings -17
T6. Callum Tallen -16
T6. Denny McCarthy -16
T8. Maverick McNealy -15
T8. Cam Davis -15
Other Australians
T51. Aaron Baddeley -7
MC. Cameron Percy
MC. Brett Drewitt
MC. Mark Hensby
MC. Greg Chalmers
MC. John Senden
Photo credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
