Thirteen-time PGA Tour winner Jason Day has verbally committed to play this year’s John Deere Classic (JDC). It’s the tournament where the Australian played his first PGA event courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption in 2006.
The former No. 1 ranked PGA player hasn’t been back to the JDC since 2011, the tournament said in a news release.
“We are thrilled to have Jason Day in our field,” JDC Tournament Director Andrew Lehman said in the release. “After starting his PGA Tour journey at the John Deere Classic back in 2006, Jason has had an excellent career and we’re pleased that he has chosen to return here.”
The 53rd edition of the Quad Cities’ PGA Tour event will be played the week of July 3-7 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis. Sepp Straka is the 2024 defending champion.
Ranked 22nd in the Official World Golf Rankings, Mr. Day, 36, was slated to play in the 2022 John Deere Classic. But he had to withdraw because of injury, the release said.
Day debuted at age 19
He was just 19 and newly arrived from Australia when played his first PGA Tour event. It was at the 2006 John Deere Classic, where he made the cut, the JDC said.
Mr. Day’s most recent PGA Tour victory came at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson. He also won the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. He won the 2016 Players Championship. Mr. Day finished tied for 18th at the recently concluded RBC Heritage. And he finished tied for 30th place at the Masters.
Over the years, Mr. Day has battled a bad back. But recently he has remade his swing to lessen the stress in that area of his body with positive results, JDC said. This year, he has made eight cuts in 10 events, and finished with the Top 10. That included a tie for ninth at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. He is ranked ninth in Total Driving, 23rd in Putting and 13th in Scrambling this year, the release said.
The John Deere Classic, which includes Birdies for Charity, is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization. It is located in the John Deere Classic tournament offices at 15623 Coaltown Road, East Moline. Since its 1971 founding, the tournament has helped raise $174 million for charity.
