John Deere Classic Round 3: Davis Thompson Breaks the Logjam With a Birdie on 18

At one point on Saturday, 10 players shared the lead at the John Deere Classic. By the time Davis Thompson stood over a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th green, it was still a five-way tie. Then the defending champion rolled it in, and for one night at least, the logjam had a name at the top.

Thompson's 4-under 67 got him to 15-under 198 and a one-shot lead at TPC Deere Run. Right behind at 14 under is a four-player wall that all shot 68: Brian Campbell, Max Homa, Emiliano Grillo and David Lipsky. Camilo Villegas and Austin Eckroat are three back, Matt Kuchar and amateur Jackson Koivun are four back, and 13 players start Sunday within four shots.

A Different Golf Course

For two days, TPC Deere Run was a birdie buffet. The first two rounds produced 28 scores of 65 or better. Saturday was another animal.

Organizers moved tee times up to dodge afternoon thunderstorms, and the field went off in threesomes from both tees. Heat and wind firmed up the greens and quickened them, and several hole locations were tucked near the edges, so the misses got punished. Nobody in the field broke 66, per the AP. On a course where you usually need a 2 at the front of your number to win, that changes the math.

Thompson's Closing Kick

Thompson spent most of the round inside the crowd, and the finish is what separated him. He gave himself an 8-foot eagle look on the par-5 17th that slid by, then stepped onto the 18th green needing one more and poured in the 10-footer.

"Nice to have some momentum going into tomorrow," Thompson said, per the AP.

The history is right there for him. Nobody has won the John Deere Classic in back-to-back years since Steve Stricker won three straight from 2009 to 2011. A win would also put Thompson at the top of the alternate list for The Open Championship, which is set by the next world ranking.

Campbell's 30-Footer and the Wall at 14

Thompson's putt only mattered as much as it did because Brian Campbell had just dropped one of his own. The Mexico Open champion holed a 30-footer for birdie at the 18th moments earlier to grab a share of the lead, forcing Thompson to answer. Campbell has now gone 65, 66 and 68, steady as a metronome, and sits one back heading into Sunday.

Grillo and Lipsky matched that 68 to stay right there. Grillo is chasing a third PGA TOUR title, and Lipsky, who opened the week with a 64, is looking for a first.

Then there is Max Homa, the most decorated player in the chasing group and the one with the most to prove. Homa's last TOUR win came at Torrey Pines in January 2023, and he has changed coaches, equipment and caddies this year while trying to find his way back. On Saturday, he survived a wild tee shot on the par-5 10th, saved par and kept grinding to a 68. It has not always been fun. "Golf has just been very boring for me this year," Homa said, per the AP. Sunday, at least, will not lack for stakes.

Ghim's Day Goes Sideways

The cruelest part of a firm Saturday belonged to Doug Ghim. The 36-hole leader, who had holed out from the fairway for eagle on both Thursday and Friday, could not find that spark again. Over the final 10 holes, Ghim made two bogeys and no birdies, signed for a 3-over 74 and dropped outside the top 20. Two days of highlight-reel shots, undone by a day when the course finally pushed back.

The Kid and the Veteran

Four back sit two players at opposite ends of a career. Matt Kuchar, who has been winning on TOUR for a generation, shot 67 and liked the setup. "Certainly makes for a fun Sunday when a bunch of guys have a chance," Kuchar said.

Next to him on the board is Jackson Koivun, the Auburn junior who already holds a PGA TOUR card through the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program but is deferring it to go back to school. Nick Dunlap became the first amateur in more than three decades to win on TOUR at The American Express in 2024, and Koivun has noticed. "It's obviously very inspiring to see what he did about a year ago now," Koivun said, per the AP.

Villegas and Eckroat, both TOUR winners, are three back after a 69 and a 67, respectively, and could make noise with a fast start.

Sunday at the Deere

The number to watch is 15 under, and it is not much of a cushion. Thompson is the defending champion with a fresh closing kick. Campbell has a playoff win already this season. Homa is trying to end a long drought. Grillo and Lipsky are lurking with the patience to wait out a back nine. If the greens stay firm, par will be worth something again. If they soften, expect a birdie race. Either way, five players start Sunday within one shot, and the Deere rarely hands anyone a title without a fight.

Catch up on the week in our Round 1 recap and Round 2 recap. Full scores are on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard (opens in a new tab), and the TOUR's Round 3 recap (opens in a new tab) has more.

Sources: PGA TOUR (Round 3 recap and leaderboard), AP, Golf Today. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.