Writing from Silvis, Illinois
Friday, July 4, 2025
The 249th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
So here’s Doug Ghim at the top of the leaderboard in the 54th John Deere Classic for the second day in a row, the first opening-round Deere leader to keep the point since J.T. Poston three years ago.
Poston never yielded and rode out of TPC Deere Run with a trophy in the back seat of his courtesy car.
Can Ghim do the same? Can he hold off the birdie binges that are sure to come? Can he capture his first PGA Tour title – and become the 25th Deere winner to do so since the tournament was founded as the Quad Cities Open in 1971?
Ghim, Arlington Heights born and bred, it at 12-under-par 130 following Friday’s 3-under 68, and has 36 holes to answer the questions in the affirmative. He also has company. There are five players a stroke behind him and six more two strokes in arrears, making it the most crowded leaderboard at the halfway point in Deere annals.
Among those a stroke back are Illinois alum Brian Campbell, who added a 66 to Thursday’s 65 to wander into contention, and defending champion Davis Thompson, whose bogey-free 8-under 63 closed with three birdies on the last five holes. Max Homa, David Lipsky and Emiliano Grillo are also at 11-under 131.
The sixsome at 10-under 132 includes Camilo Villegas, Taylor Montgomery, Sam Stevens, Si Wo Kim, Kevin Roy and Cameron Champ. The 65s of Montgomery and Roy were the best rounds from that gaggle.
“If I can get the driver in play and at least feel solid with the driver and the longer irons, I can compete with all these guys,” said Montgomery, a 30-year-old who, like Ghim, has yet to break into the Tour’s victory circle. “It’s being able to do it for four days. I put it together for three, 3 1/2 rounds, but it’s those bad ones that get to you.”
Farther back, but by no means out of contention, are big-hitting Aldrich Potgieter (9-under 133) and amateur Jackson Koivun (8-under 134 with a Friday 64, matching the best round of the day). In all, 34 players are within five strokes of Ghim with the weekend to go.
Part of Ghim’s resurgence comes from his wholesale range in personnel, from his caddie, Kevin “Tech” Techakanokboon to his mental coach.
“He’s been on the bag for about a month now,” Ghim said of Techakankboon. “I think our first start together was in Canada. He’s a good friend of mine – used to caddie for Chan Kim. I’ve spent a lot of time out here the last couple years just playing practice rounds with Chan.
“Tech is a very good player himself, so it’s important to keep it light out here. It gets pretty intimidating sometimes, so to have a friend and someone you can laugh with is always important. We had a blast."
Ghim’s other key team members are manager Luke Park, swing coach Boyd Summerhays, mental coach Fred McCabe and fitness trainer Brian Chandler. Yes, golfers have support crews about as big as a NASCAR pit crew these days, though not all travel each week.
Ghim came into the Deere 124th in the PGA Tour’s point standings, 127th on the money list and 125th in the world rankings. The first is most critical. Only the top 100 will get full Tour status next year, but a win assures him of status through 2027.
“I was at the point in the season where I just needed something different,” Ghim said. “I was playing fine but couldn’t get any positive momentum. It’s been working.”
That it has. It’s also helped that Ghim’s holed out from the fairway once in each round. Friday, it was a 179-yard smack from the left edge of the 15th fairway for a deuce.
“It’s just the halfway point,” Ghim said. “The leaderboard is so bunched. There’s always a guy regardless of conditions. I’m still chasing because 20-something-under is probably going to win.”
Around TPC Deere Run
Potential thunderstorms prompted Tour officials to juggle tee times for Saturday. Players will go off both tees from 8:05-9:55 a.m. That triggered changes in the television schedule. Golf Channel will be live from 10 a.m.-noon, and CBS will be live beginning at noon. … The cut fell at 5-under-par 137 for the second straight year. with 65 players advancing. Among those making it on the number were Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler. Among those hitting the road: former Deere champions Michael Kim, Dylan Frittelli and J.T. Poston, notable Ben Griffin and star attraction Jason Day. … Nicholas Lindheim and Andrew Putnam withdrew before the second round, citing back issues. … The field averaged 69.548 strokes, collecting 667 birdies. … The time of an average round was 5 hours 2 minutes.
– Tim Cronin