While the John Deere Classic is not exactly one of the flagship events on the PGA Tour these days, it is likely to always hold a special place in the heart of Jordan Spieth.
The John Deere Classic is actually the one event on the PGA Tour that Jordan Spieth has won more than once. Remarkably, he emerged triumphant on both occasions after ending up in a playoff.
Spieth edged out Tom Gillis in 2015, with the highlight of his week being the 61 he posted on Saturday. Two years earlier, it had been Zach Johnson and David Hearn who missed out on the title at the hands of the Texan.
And that week saw Spieth make a little piece of PGA Tour history.
When Jordan Spieth made history with his win at the John Deere Classic
Spieth had managed to secure his spot in the playoff after shooting a 65 in the final round at TPC Deere Run.
In fact, he had posted the same score in both the second and third rounds too. He needed to hole out from a bunker on the 72nd hole to keep his hopes of victory alive.
Photo by Michael Cohen/Getty Images
Amazingly, Spieth, Johnson and Hearn could not be separated after four playoff holes in Illinois. However, Spieth’s par on the 18th hole was enough to secure him his maiden victory on the PGA Tour.
In fact, he became the first teenager to win on tour since 1931, when Ralph Guldahl won the Santa Monica Open.
The claim David Hearn made about Jordan Spieth after their playoff at TPC Deere Run
Of course, it was a sign of what was to come for Spieth. He finished the year 10th in the FedEx Cup standings and made his debut at the Presidents Cup.
He would finish second at The Masters when he made his debut at Augusta National in 2014. And he would win the green jacket just one year later.
One person who would not have been surprised by his success was David Hearn, who tipped Spieth for great things after the playoff.
“Congrats to Jordan. He’s going to have an amazing career, obviously. He’s an incredible talent to come on tour at his age and have as much success as quickly as he has. So hat’s off to him, and look forward to the next time I have a chance to get him,” he said.
