The 2026 John Deere Classic will tee off from Silvis, Illinois, at TPC Deere Run during the United States’ 250th birthday celebration. Fireworks should be on display in the sky and on the course, with this par-71 course delivering winning scorecards of -18, -28, -21, -21, and -19 in its last five editions.
Ben Griffin is the betting favorite in a field of 144 this week at +1325 odds. He’s followed by Chris Gotterup (+1425) and Keith Mitchell (+1850) inside 20-1. None of these golfers have won a John Deere Classic, with longshots like Brian Campbell and Davis Thompson each claiming victory in the past two outings at TPC Deere Run.
Running just over 7,300 yards, 4.5-inch Kentucky Bluegrass rough is a primary hazard. Bunkers galore as well, along with undulating fairways and bentgrass greens, as TPC Deere Run is built on an old Arabian horse farm. Putting velocity projects to hover at 12.5 feet via Stimpmeter. Off-the-tee accuracy will help golfers climb the leaderboard.
My previous PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 U.S. Open) had some strong return on investment, but there were a couple of duds that kept our lineups from hitting big at Shinnecock. Xander Schauffele (T11) and Matt Fitzpatrick (22) both played well but not enough for a top 10, which was disappointing for Tier 1-caliber golfers. Tier 3 saw J.T. Poston card a surprising T4 finish for a big spike in production, while Brian Harman’s T32 didn’t move the needle too much. Tier 2 crippled lineup profitability with Russell Henley (T65) and Patrick Cantlay’s missed cut.
The 2026 John Deere Classic will tee off from Silvis, Illinois, at TPC Deere Run during the United States’ 250th birthday celebration. Fireworks should be on display in the sky and on the course, with this par-71 course delivering winning scorecards of -18, -28, -21, -21, and -19 in its last five editions.
Ben Griffin is the betting favorite in a field of 144 this week at +1325 odds. He’s followed by Chris Gotterup (+1425) and Keith Mitchell (+1850) inside 20-1. None of these golfers have won a John Deere Classic, with longshots like Brian Campbell and Davis Thompson each claiming victory in the past two outings at TPC Deere Run.
Running just over 7,300 yards, 4.5-inch Kentucky Bluegrass rough is a primary hazard. Bunkers galore as well, along with undulating fairways and bentgrass greens, as TPC Deere Run is built on an old Arabian horse farm. Putting velocity projects to hover at 12.5 feet via Stimpmeter. Off-the-tee accuracy will help golfers climb the leaderboard.
My previous PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 U.S. Open) had some strong return on investment, but there were a couple of duds that kept our lineups from hitting big at Shinnecock. Xander Schauffele (T11) and Matt Fitzpatrick (22) both played well but not enough for a top 10, which was disappointing for Tier 1-caliber golfers. Tier 3 saw J.T. Poston card a surprising T4 finish for a big spike in production, while Brian Harman’s T32 didn’t move the needle too much. Tier 2 crippled lineup profitability with Russell Henley (T65) and Patrick Cantlay’s missed cut.
Let’s build some highly productive and valuable lineups that can win big money in PGA contests on DraftKings during this week’s 2026 John Deere Classic. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more PGA DFS picks and insights.
PGA DFS: Top Golfers (2026 John Deere Classic)
DraftKings Salary: $50,000
TIER 1
Golfer
|
DK $
|
| Ben Griffin |
$10,500 |
| Eric Cole |
$9,100 |
I’m rolling out the chalk Tier 1 play on Ben Griffin to start our lineups. He’s playing with consistency entering this event, which I like, going T17-T10 at the U.S. Open and Travelers Championship in two straight starts.
Griffin logged a T5 finish during his debut at the 2024 John Deere Classic. Then, he missed the cut here last year. Ranked 25th in SG: Putting, 54th in total driving, and 25th in scrambling explains why Griffin is still posting a top-30 scoring average (69.7) in 2026.
We’ll dip down to the low $9,000 salary range to pluck Eric Cole as our other Tier 1 prospect in Silvis this week. Cole’s putting is top-notch, leading the PGA Tour in one-putt rate, putts per round and putting average this season.
Cole’s irons are sharp too, ranked 52nd in SG: Approach. Also boasts top-30 marks in scrambling and sand save rate.
Off-the-tee issues are a concern, but it’s also why we’re landing Cole at a value in our lineups. Let’s bank on his flat stick to come through during a fifth appearance at this tournament.
TIER 2
Golfer
|
DK $
|
| Sungjae Im |
$8,400 |
| Aldrich Potgieter |
$7,500 |
I like Sungjae Im enough to plug him into lineups as our expensive Tier 2 golfer. Im missed the cut in 2025 but logged a career-best T12 at the 2024 John Deere Classic.
The South Korean has three top 10 finishes this season. He blew a lead on Sunday at the Valspar Championship back in March. Im has cooled off since a T9 at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson in late May, going MC-T32-T43-T30.
Ultimately, Im’s short game is the aspect I like at this Tier 2 price. He’s ranked 32nd in SG: Putting and 33rd for sand save rate. Also 22nd in putting average and sixth for putts per round and one-putt rate. 51st in SG: Off-the-Tee is also encouraging at a course like TPC Deere Run.
Aldrich Potgieter is back in action. I want to invest in this young bomber, particularly since he had something going during his debut at the 2025 John Deere Classic before a withdrawal in Round 3.
Potgieter is coming off a T8 in his last start at the RBC Canadian Open. He’s collected a pair of top 20 finishes in his last four starts on the PGA Tour. Ranks ninth in SG: Off-the-Tee, pacing all golfers in driving distance (328.8) and 15th for 200+ yard approach shots.
TIER 3
Golfer
|
DK $
|
| Jackson Suber |
$7,400 |
| A.J. Ewart |
$7,100 |
Jackson Suber has started to find his game in May and June, posting a pair of fourth-place finishes at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the RBC Canadian Open. He’s a big discount at only $7.4K on DraftKings, as Suber seeks to avenge a missed cut at the 2025 John Deere Classic during his debut.
Suber’s notable metrics in 2026 include 23rd in SG: Approach, 10th for greens in regulation hit (70.1%) and third in proximity. He’s also top-20 for 200+ yard approach shots.
Suber’s approach game has led to top-40 rankings in scoring average (69.8) and birdie average (4.00). The 26-year-old can leverage these numbers for a top 20 finish or better at a birdie-fest like TPC Deere Run.
Finally, we get a lesser-known name, A.J. Ewart, as the biggest value play to anchor our lineups at only $7.1K. The Canadian golfer has a pair of top 20 finishes in his last three starts and is set to debut at TPC Deere Run on Thursday.
Ewart ranks seventh in SG: Putting, 34th for greens in regulation hit (67.9%), 20th in proximity and ninth in scrambling. He’s posting a top-20 scoring average (69.6) and sits 23rd on par 4 scoring and 39th for birdie average in 2026.
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 Masters)
