The John Deere Classic takes centre stage this week and it is the penultimate event on the PGA Tour before the Open Championship.
Many of the game's biggest stars are resting up this week ahead of playing at both the Scottish Open and The Open over the next few weeks.
TPC Deere Run plays host to this tournament and it is a relatively easy track with plenty of birdie opportunities across the 18 holes.
Brian Campbell won this event last year and the defending champion is 175/1 to retain his title.
Chris Gotterup and Ben Griffin lead the betting market at odds of 16/1 in the absences of both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
John Deere Classic First-Round Leader Tips Summary
Best Bet - Ben Griffin each-way @ 30/1
Alternative Bet - Tom Kim each-way @ 35/1
Alternative Bet - Eric Cole each-way @ 45/1
John Deere Classic First-Round Leader Prediction
Best Bet: Ben Griffin each-way @ 30/1
Griffin comes into this event as the favourite to win and it has been a solid few months for the American, especially after his struggles between February and April.
Since finishing in a tie for 10th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Griffin has claimed third place twice, at the Cadillac Championship and Charles Schwab Challenge, while ending up outside the top-17 just twice in eight PGA Tour events.
He ranks 25th on tour for first-round scoring average (69.50) and he can take confidence from a T5 finish here in 2024.
The American is seeking his fourth PGA Tour title this week and first since November 2025 and a fast start is needed at TPC Deere Run, so expect 30/1 Griffin to be near the top of the leaderboard after the first round on Thursday.
Alternative Bet: Tom Kim each-way @ 35/1
Tom Kim roared back to form with a third-place finish at the US Open a few weeks ago, beaten only by Scheffler and champion Wyndham Clark at Shinnecock.
That was his second top-six finish in a matter of weeks, having come in T6 at the Myrtle Beach Classic at the beginning of May.
In his only previous start at the John Deere Classic, Kim missed the cut in 2025, but things should be different this year.
Birdie chances will be at a premium here at TPC Deere Run and Kim ranks 16th on tour for Strokes Gained: Approach-to-Green, indicating how impressive he has been with his approach shots this season so far.
He also ranks first on tour for round two scoring average (68.29), so if he can translate his Friday performances to Thursday this week, Kim has a great chance to finish top of the leaderboard after the opening round in Illinois.
Alternative Bet: Eric Cole each-way @ 45/1
Eric Cole has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but he did come close at the Charles Schwab Challenge a few weeks ago, finishing second.
That performance at Colonial Country Club is a big indicator that he can play well here this week, especially considering the two courses are set up in a similar fashion.
Furthermore, Cole ranks third on tour for first-round scoring average (68.75), moving up four places following his performance at the Travelers Championship.
There, he shot an incredible opening round of 63 to hold the first-round lead, before slipping away over the weekend to finish T38 in the end.
That opening-round display should give him plenty of confidence at Deere Run, especially without the likes of Scheffler and McIlroy breathing down his neck.
Key Tournament Stats
TPC Deere Run will host the event for the 26th time this year
Eric Cole was the first-round leader at the Travelers Championship last week
Brian Campbell is the defending champion, winning a play-off against Emiliano Grillo last year
Steve Stricker won this tournament three successive times between 2009 and 2011
Doug Ghim was the first-round leader last year after an opening round 62
Read more golf betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
