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No big changes at JDC deadline

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By Craig DeVrieze | Sunday, July 13, 2008 |

Deadline Day for the John Deere Classic did not bring home any new heavy hitters. But tournament director Clair Peterson declared the final field for next week’s $4.2 million the tourney’s best since Vijay Singh topped a stellar fall group in September of 2003.

At the final hour, the JDC field lost one 2008 winner, AT&T Classic winner Ryuji Imada but gained another in AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am champion Steve Lowery.

It also swapped former U.S. Amateur champions, adding 2004 winner Ryan Moore, while seeing 2000 champ Jeff Quinney withdraw. For added measure, Moore won the U.S. Public Links and the NCAA Championship in an Am slam year in ’04.

Four other late withdrawals included Steve Flesch, Matthew Goggin, Dudley Hart and Illinois-bred rookie Kevin Streelman.

Those changes allowed former Masters winner Larry Mize and Tour veteran Brent Geiberger in off the tourney’s alternate exempt list. Two-time former U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen made the field on his own merits, creating a sponsor’s exemption opening for 2003 Masters runner-up Len Mattiace.

In sum, the JDC field features winners of eight 2008 events, including two-time winner Kenny Perry (Buick Open, Memorial). He is joined by Lowery, J.B. Holmes (FBR Open), D.J. Trahan (Bob Hope Chrysler Classic), Brian Gay (Mayakoba Classic), Sean O’Hair (PODS Championship) and Johnson Wagner (Shell Houston Open).

It also features six players in the top 25 money winners on Tour this year — Perry (4th), Holmes (15th), Trahan (19th), Bart Bryant (20th), Briny Baird (24th) and O’Hair (25th) — and 51 of the leading 100 wage winners.

It also features 26 winners of events within the past two years and nine former major champions in Mize, Janzen, Zach Johnson, Rich Beem, Mark Calcavecchia, David Duval, Todd Hamilton, Tom Lehman and Bob Tway.

“I am so excited about this field,’’ Peterson said.

Although a couple big names were hoped for by Friday’s deadline, Peterson said, “After six years, I have no expectations. I try to keep and even keel and see what happens. I was thrilled and still am thrilled with the field.’’

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.