Brian Campbell Wins at the John Deere Classic, Securing His Second Victory of the Year
In an exciting day full of unexpected twists, Brian Campbell conquered his second victory of the season on the PGA Tour, both achieved in playoffs. In the John Deere Classic, Campbell finished with a round of 67 strokes under par, surpassing Emiliano Grillo on the first playoff hole. This victory solidifies Campbell’s season as one of ups and downs, as he also won the Mexico Open at the end of February, also in a tiebreaker. Outside of his two wins, he has not managed to place among the top 30 in any other tournament. This triumph could secure his participation in the Open Championship, depending on his rise in the world ranking published on Monday, which is used as a list of alternates. Campbell seemed to be in control of the tournament with three consecutive birdies at the start of the second round. However, a double bogey on the 15th hole complicated his situation, leading to a heart-stopping finish. Grillo, who also closed with a round of 67 strokes, took the lead after Campbell’s double bogey, but a bogey on the 16th hole reduced his chances. Campbell, known for his short game, birdied the par 5 of the 17th hole, and was close to another birdie on the 18th hole. He was the first player to finish with a total of 18 under par, 266 strokes. Grillo, for his part, got a birdie on the 17th hole, but a bad shot on the 18th hole left him in a difficult position. Both players tied with a total of 266 strokes. David Lipsky was on the verge of joining the playoff, but a mistake on the 18th hole prevented him from achieving it. He finished with a round of 68 strokes, tying for third place with Kevin Roy, who shot 65. The tiebreaker wasn’t very exciting. Campbell hit an excellent drive, leaving the ball about 15 feet from the hole. Grillo, for his part, had a bad shot and his par attempt from about 25 feet was unsuccessful.Campbell joins Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Sepp Straka, and Ryan Fox as the only players with multiple individual wins on the PGA Tour this season. Campbell chose to rest in the clubhouse instead of practicing, and the decision was correct, as he secured the victory. Max Homa, who hadn’t won in over two years, briefly led the round, but ultimately tied for fifth place. It was his first top 10 on the PGA Tour in almost 15 months. Five other players tied for fifth place, including Matt Kuchar and Lucas Glover.I gave myself a chance. I made good putts. I made a good putt on the 72nd and that’s all I can do.
Emiliano Grillo
