Strong names dot early JDC field
You could say the John Deere Classic is off to a flying start.
Classic director Clair Peterson Tuesday released a mid-April list of player commitments he said he would be proud to call his field in mid-July.
The early list of commitments included namebrand players such as Woody Austin, Bubba Watson, Tom Lehman, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, Jerry Kelly, Boo Weekly, Lucas Glover, Kenny Perry and 2008 PGA Tour winners Sean O’Hair, J.B. Holmes, D.J. Trahan and Johnson Wagner.
Also back will be local heroes and former major champions Todd Hamilton and Zach Johnson, defending JDC champion Jonathan Byrd and last year’s runner-up Tim Clark.
In sum, that is five former major champions (Lehman, Micheel and Beem join Hamilton and Johnson), and seven recent members of Presidents or Ryder Cup teams.
Peterson said the early run of notable entries, something that hadn’t happened in the recent past, is owed to the tournament’s decision to charter a 100-seat jet to fly players from the Quad-City International Airport to England for the next week’s British Open at the conclusion of the JDC.
Of the early commitments, 10 players — Austin, Byrd, Clark, Glover, Hamilton, Johnson, Lehman, Micheel, O’Hair, and 2006 JDC winner John Senden — already have asked for two seats on the jet, Peterson said.
“It has definitely made a difference, and it has made a difference in the lead time we are given in their decision-making,” he said. “I am very excited about the results we have had so far.”
Clearly, the 156-player field that will tee off July 10-13 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., is not complete.
Asked if more recognizable names are in the pipeline, Peterson said, “Absolutely. I know we are going to get more guys. It is gratifying to know this investment is going to help us do what we hoped it would do — enhance our field.’’
He said 2003 PGA Championship winner Micheel told him specifically that the chartered jet was “a fantastic idea’’ and was the reason he planned to play here for the first time since 2003.
He also said the jet spurred the early commitments of several players, including those of O’Hair, Clark and even JDC executive board member Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who might have wavered on playing here this year without the transportation opportunity.
Although the tournament is spending upwards of $300,000 to charter the jet, it is an expense Peterson said is more effective than a purse increase might have been and also one that will be offset by voluntary donations of $1,000 a player in exchange for their flight.
That money will be channeled toward the tournament’s Birdies for Charity Bonus Bucks program, and Peterson said, “I haven’t had any player say that wasn’t fair.”
In addition to Byrd, Senden and 2005 champ O’Hair, former Q-C winners John Senden (2006), Mark Hensby (2004), J.P. Hayes (2002) and J.L. Lewis (1999) also are among the early commitments.
Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.