Brian Campbell snagged his second PGA Tour win in dramatic fashion, outlasting Emiliano Grillo in a sudden-death playoff to win the John Deere Classic. After tying regulation at ā18 (266), Campbell drained a clutch par on the 18th hole to claim victory and show heās cool when the lights are at their brightest.
Campbell the Comeback Kid
Age & Origins: Born March 6, 1993, in Irvine, California. Graduated from the University of Illinois and now resides in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Tour Journey: Turned pro in 2015 and made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur at the same John Deere venue a decade ago. Lost his card after 2017, spent years grinding on the Korn Ferry Tour, reclaimed status in 2024, and now has two PGA Tour wins in 2025 (Mexico Open and John Deere Classic).
Cinderella Week at Deere Run
A decade after debuting at Deere Run, he returned to win there, with a playoff par on the 18th. His closing 4-under 67 capped an orderly four-round performance: 65-66-68-67 (ā18).
The American exhibited nerves of steel after a double bogey on 15, birdying 17 and forcing a playoff, then holding his nerve when it mattered.
Max Homa Almost Snatches the Crown
Max Homa surged up the leaderboard with a final round 69 (ā2) to finish T5āhis best result since tying third at the 2024 Masters. Homa was only a stroke shy of the lead entering Sunday but couldnāt stick the critical puts. Plus, a cheeky fan playfully requested $1,900 on Venmo for āyou canāt putt under pressureā – a viral moment Homa handled with the kind of humour we’d expect from one of the best guys in golf.
Potgieter Withdraws After Rough Round
Fresh off his Rocket Classic breakout, Aldrich Potgieter looked primed to go back-to-backāheād posted 67-66 through the first two rounds (ā9). But a 5-over 76 in RoundāÆ3 ended his run prematurely as he withdrew before Sunday with no reason given
Doug Ghimās Eagle Spell
Illinois native Doug Ghim burst into local legend territory with a fairway eagle on Thursday and then again on Friday at the 15th, giving him a one-stroke lead at 12āunder before Saturday. But he couldnāt hold the lead through Sunday. Golf is hard.
Cut-Line Cutups & Big Names Bent
Several household names bit the dust early in Silvis:
Tom Kim, fresh off Rocket Classic buzz, missed the cut by one shot at ā4.
Jason Day, Ben Griffin, Luke Clanton, ThorbjĆørn Olesen, Sungjae Im, and Jake Knapp all failed to make the weekend.
It was chaos down the leaderboard, proving that even big names arenāt safe at Deere Run.
Standouts Outside the Winnerās Circle
Emiliano Grillo: Fallen just short in playoff, but a calm and consistent week earns a tip of the cap.
Max Homa: Final-round 69 pushed him into Tā5, just one stroke off the lead and a sign that heās hopefully shaking off the slump at long last.
Davis Thompson: Defending championās steady rounds kept him in contention, though he couldnāt close the door this time.
Final Verdict
Brian Campbell isnāt a power bomber but heās precise, calm, and deadly in the clutch. His Deere Run victory isnāt luck, itās grit paired with polish. A Tour journeyman turned playoff assassin? Where did that come from? This is exactly why we love this game!Ā
Next stop: Portrush; may the Cinderella story have another chapter!
Bang Average Moment of the Week
Venmo Gambit ā After Homaās near-miss, a fan messaged him with an unusual request, asking for $1,900 on Venmo “Because you can’t putt under pressureā.
Homa responded with:
āGamble like a big boy, Carl and take your lumps like the rest of usā
