Ryan Moore set to defend at the 2017 John Deere Classic
Ryan Moore, whose two-shot victory at last year’s John Deere Classic helped him earn the final captain’s pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, will defend his title, July 10-16, at TPC Deere Run.
The 34-year-old Las Vegas resident shot 22-under par at Deere Run last year with rounds of 65-65-65-67—262 – including bogey-free weekend - en route to his fifth career PGA TOUR win.
“I want to go back and try and do the same thing this year and play some great golf and hope that leads to a win,” Moore said.
In addition to recording 23 straight sub-par rounds at Deere Run, Moore has grown to appreciate the Quad Cities community and the way the tournament is run.
“They’ve done a phenomenal job of making it a fun week, a family week, and really just a great event,” Moore said of the John Deere Classic staff, led by tournament director Clair Peterson.
“They got [PGA TOUR] Tournament of the Year [in 2016] and that’s not surprising,” said Moore, a husband and father of two young children. “They do a great job with it. You get great crowds out there. It’s a fun week, and, like I said, it was nice to finally win at a place where I’ve had some success.”
Moore will be joined in the 156-man field by John Deere Classic icons and past champions Zach Johnson (2012), of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker (2009-2011), the only player to three-peat at the event. The 2014 champion, Brian Harman, who recently won the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, also will be back.
“The John Deere Classic is honored to have Ryan Moore back to defend his title,” said Peterson. “Since turning pro, Ryan has had a tremendous career, and last year he took it to the next level. “We’re very happy to have Ryan as a member of the John Deere Classic family.”
The 47th edition of the Quad Cities-based event will feature its highest-ever purse: $5.6 million, with $1 million going to the winner.
Moore earned the 15th and clinching point for the United States’ Ryder Cup team when he went eagle-birdie-par on the last three holes to come back from a two-hole deficit and defeat Lee Westwood 1-up in their singles match last October at Hazeltine National Golf Club. The achievement elevated the profile of the laid-back native of Tacoma, Washington whose under-the-radar persona hasn’t prevented him from earning $25 million on Tour since turning pro in 2005. He also had nine top-10 finishes in 2016, including a four-hole playoff against Rory McIlroy at the TOUR Championship.
So far this season, Moore has six top-20 finishes, including a T-9 at last month’s Masters.
In recent years, Moore has played well at Deere Run. Since 2012, he has finished T-8, T-22, T-7, T-24, and 1 at the John Deere Classic.
Moore’s pedigree goes back to his outstanding amateur career. In 2004, he won the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Public Links (for the second time), the Western Amateur, and the NCAA Individual championship as a player for UNLV. He also played on the Walker Cup team that year.
His other four PGA TOUR victories were at the 2009 Wyndham (Greensboro), the 2012 Justin Timberlake Shriners (Las Vegas), and the 2013 and 2014 CIMB Classic (Malaysia).
Tickets for the John Deere Classic are available at www.johndeereclassic.com or by calling 309-762-4653.