Ghim leads the John Deere Classic with 62 strokes: Homa and Eckroat are lurking

SILVIS, Ill. – Doug Ghim started with an impressive round of 62 strokes, nine under par, in an attempt to get his first PGA Tour victory at the John Deere Classic. Ghim achieved an eagle on the 6th hole, a par 4, and kept his scorecard bogey-free. This outstanding performance placed him at the top of the leaderboard. Max Homa and Austin Eckroat, one stroke behind Ghim, are close behind in the tournament held at TPC Deere Run. At this course, the winner has finished with a score of 20 under par or better in 12 of the last 15 years.

Honestly, any time you can get to 20 under or better, you’ll have a chance. It’s still golf. It’s still a challenge. You have to hit the fairways. I hit a lot of them today. So I’m just trying to shoot under 6 under each day and see where that puts me.

Doug Ghim

The competition was intense, with widespread low scores. Several players achieved outstanding results, including Cameron Champ and Brian Campbell. Aldrich Potgieter, from South Africa, who is coming off his first PGA Tour victory, stayed close to the leaders until the end of his round. Potgieter, 20, had a bogey on the 17th hole and finished with 67 strokes.

The John Deere Classic has been a hotbed for new talent, producing 24 first-time winners since 1970, including Davis Thompson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jordan Spieth. Homa and Eckroat, seeking to regain their best form, are also contenders. Homa, former world number 8, has experienced a period of ups and downs. Eckroat, for his part, seeks to improve his performance after a complicated year. The first round showed very low scores, with 18 players achieving 65 strokes or less. More than half of the field, composed of 156 players, broke the 70-stroke barrier. Michael Kim and Sam Stevens, with rounds of 64 strokes, also stood out. Kim, a first-time winner in 2018, is looking to improve his world ranking. Good performance in this tournament could be crucial for Kim, who is looking to improve his world ranking and secure his participation in the British Open.