Surging rookie Wolff leads John Deere field
Matthew Wolff made a name for himself by winning the 3M Open in his fourth PGA Tour start after turning pro.
The 20-year-old who starred at Oklahoma State will try to make it two in a row this weekend at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.
Wolff was the tour’s youngest winner since Jordan Spieth won at TPC Deere Run at age 19 in 2013. And like Spieth, he’s being hyped as a future star as he arrives in the Quad Cities.
Many of the world’s best players are either taking the week off or playing the Scottish Open in preparation for next week’s British Open. That makes Wolff as good a bet as any to make a run at the title at a venue known for low scores.
“My caddie kind of told me that this course is a little bit like last week, just the driving aspect and kind of the way it sets up,” Wolff said.
Wolff’s victory last week at TPC Twin Cities took care of a lot: It earned him instant membership and a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and invitations to next year’s Masters and PGA Championship. But it didn’t get him a spot in the field at the British Open. That, too, is a possibility this week: The top finisher not already exempt who finishes in the top 5 at TPC Deere Run will qualify to play next week at Royal Portrush — and get a seat on the charter flight that the John Deere Classic provides to players making the trip to Northern Ireland.
The John Deere Classic has long made up for its lack of star power by using sponsor exemptions to lure some of the game’s brightest prospects to its event.
This year’s newcomers will include Cal’s Collin Morikawa, who finished one shot behind Wolff in Minnesota. Morikawa’s performance earned him special temporary membership on the PGA Tour, meaning he can use unlimited sponsor exemptions in a bid to earn his tour card for next season.
Morikawa, who’ll be making his fifth career start, will be joined by fellow rookies Viktor Hovland and Justin Suh.
“Obviously the goal coming into this summer was to earn a full card for next year,” Morikawa said. “We’re almost there.”
Wolff, who grew up in Southern California, earned freshman AllAmerica honors for the Cowboys in 2017-18 before winning the NCAA individual title in May. After missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Wolff shot 62-65 last weekend at the 3M Open, securing the win with a 25-foot putt for eagle at the 18th hole.
DEFENDING CHAMP IN A RUT >> Michael Kim had missed six out of seven cuts and changed coaches when he showed up at the John Deere Classic last year. He broke the tournament record at 27-under 257 and won by eight shots, matching Dustin Johnson and Francesco Molinari for the largest victory margin of the season.
And then it was as if the week never happened.
Kim, the former Cal golfer, flew straight to Carnoustie for the British Open, where he tied for 35th. Since then, he has made only one 36-hole cut, at the Safeway Open. He is credited for making three other cuts in Malaysia, South Korea and Kapalua — tournaments that had no cut.
As he prepares to defend his title, Kim has missed the cut in all 17 tournaments he has played since the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January.
OPEN PLAYOFF >> Royal Portrush required some reconfiguration to be able to stage the British Open for the first time in 68 years, meaning the 17th and 18th holes from the Dunluce Links are being replaced by two new holes from land on the Valley Links. With course changes, there also is a one-time alteration in a playoff if it’s necessary.
For the first time, the R&A said, it will go to a three-hole aggregate playoff at Royal Portrush involving the first, 13th and 18th holes. The 13th is a par 3 with the green not far from the 18th tee. The Open had been using a four-hole aggregate playoff since 1986 at Royal Troon.
An R&A spokesman said the decision was “geography-based,” and any playoff is expected to return to four holes at other links.