Campbell comes all the way back

Writing from Silvis, Illinois

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Brian Campbell, back on the PGA Tour this year after nearly a decade in the wilderness of the Korn Ferry Tour and battling injuries, is suddenly among those in contention for a berth on the American Ryder Cup team.

Winning twice on your return to the circuit, and in playoffs, no less, will do that for you. Earlier this year, the 32-year-old California native and Illinois grad captured the Mexico Open in sudden death. Sunday, he won the 54th John Deere Classic in similar fashion, beating Emiliano Grillo of Argentina on the first extra hole at TPC Deere Run.

“You’ve really got to dig deep and trust yourself,” Campbell said. “Easier said than done, but what worked for me a lot was trusting a lot of things I used to do when I was a kid.”

In other words, loving golf for the sport it is, not for the business demands it puts upon professionals. By doing that, by not worrying about the money, he’s suddenly rolling in it.

“There were definitely moments in the week where I was thinking about, hey, you know, this could be a special week,” Campbell said. “I don't know if I like to let myself get ahead of myself and think about winning all that much, but I know if we stick around and keep doing the right things that we're going to be there in the end.”

One would think that if American captain Keegan Bradley doesn’t have Campbell’s phone number now, he soon will. Players winning twice in a Ryder Cup year usually attract interest.

“I’ve had no thought about that whatsoever,” Campbell said. “I just know how much I love the Ryder Cup, and to be in the same conversation as the Ryder Cup is wild. So the best thing I can do is just keep working on what I’m doing and keep moving forward. I think we’ll see what happens when that comes around."

Campbell and Grillo each scored 4-under-par 67 to arrive at 18-under-par 266 on a day when three showers fell on Deere Run, softening the course but not making it easier. There was just enough breeze and the greens were still hard enough after an overnight shower to be crispy.

Thanks to his Illinois ties, many in the gallery of about 20,000 were pulling for Campbell, complete with “I-L-L” chants.

“It’s awesome,” Campbell said. “I’ve never had this much support at any golf tournament, so I never knew it would be this awesome to feel the crowd out there and get it done in this fashion.”

With overnight leader and defender Davis Thompson stumbling to a 1-over 72 for 13-under 271, thus ending the three-year run of winners from “Trophy House,” a bed-and-breakfast in nearly Geneseo, the way was clear for a new champion.

Everybody wanted to get into the act. At one point, there were 16 players within two strokes of then co-leaders Campbell and Max Homa, but it came down to Campbell, who would have won the Deere outright but for a pull-hook-induced double-bogey on the par-4 15th, and Grillo, whose 8-foot birdie putt on 17 seconds after Campbell parred the last set up sudden-death.

It would have been three in the extra session but for David Lipsky, erstwhile Northwestern notable, bogeying the 18th after a spectacular eagle 3 on the 17th that drew him into the tie. His attempt to salvage par at the last after a poor the shot edged the left side of the hole.

“I’m disappointed the putt didn’t drop at the last,” Lipsky said. “The shot on 17 was unbelievable to give myself a chance.”

Campbell hit the 18th fairway dead center in the playoff, hit a 192-yard trap draw to 16 feet 2 inches with his approach, and two-putted for the par and win. Grillo had pushed his tee shot to the trees on the right, got a drop after a mindless marshal picked up the ball, rammed his approach over the green, was short with his third, and left his fourth shot short of the cup. Then Campbell finished the job.

“Magic does happen at the John Deere,” said Campbell, echoing the tournament’s slogan. “I’m just so proud to be in the same conversation as (three-time winner and Illinois grad) Stve Stricker.”

Campbell earned $1.512 million and pushed his season earnings to $3,174,658.83.

Grillo, as balm, could content himself with $915,600 and climbing back into the Tour’s playoff race. He’s 64th now in the chase to land in the top 100 for the first playoff tournament, up from 105th. (And Campbell is 28th, up from 59th.)

“Obviously we’re aiming for (the top) 50,” Grillo said. “You want to be in all the elevated tournaments, play the big ones. Hopefully a little bit better and play Atlanta (the Tour Championship).

“Working towards that, and this is a big step.”

The 18-under 266s posted by Campbell and Grillo were the highest for first place since Bryson DeChambeau’s winning 266 in 2017.

For Campbell, this has been a renaissance season. Getting his PGA Tour card back after last year’s Korn Ferry exploits was the start. He’d played 159 KFT tournaments beginning in 2015, most of them after his one season as a PGA Tour regular in 2016-17. But he’d not won on the stepping-stone tour, losing once in a playoff, and once wondering if playing golf as a living was worth it.

“It was second stage of Q school two-three years ago,” he recalled. “I made like a quintuple bogey on a par 3 and I thought my career was over in that moment.

“That night I just kind of had a self-talk with myself. I said, ‘You know what, whatever happens is okay. Trust yourself.’ The next round I want out there and shot 8-under and got myself right back in there. I guess I was like, ‘Maybe golf is not over for me.’ That was the moment when everything changed.”

Look at him now.

Around Deere Run

There was a point early in the afternoon when Beau Hossler was the leader in the clubhouse, having scored eight birdies and an eagle, the latter offsetting two bogeys, for a stylish 8-under 63. That placed him at 15-under 269, but he had no notion that score would prove victorious. “I have no chance,” Hossler said. “I’m going to eat lunch, pack my stuff, get a coffee from 392 Cafe, my favorite coffee spot in town, and get on a flight.” To Louisville, not Scotland. … Michael Thorbjornsen also scored 63, the low number of the day. … The Deere charter to Scotland was full fo the first time with over 35 players taking advantage. A player, caddie and spouse can make the trip, paying for the privilege. Deere puts that money in the Birdies for Charity endeavor. … Amateur Jackson Koivun tied for 11th, finishing with 4-under 67 for 15-under 269.

– Tim Cronin