Zach Johnson has long been at home at the John Deere Classic. In his previous 23 starts here, he has posted 29 consecutive rounds of 69 or better, according to the PGA Tour. His Thursday 64 this week was just one shot shy of his best (63) in 87 career rounds at TPC Deere Run. Johnson skipped the U.S. Senior Open to play the John Deere Classic and made it clear that he wasn’t going to rest on his laurels. He was going to try and demolish the golf course. Little wonder that did not escape the attention of co-leader Lucas Glover.

Asked whether he was worried about keeping up with the older guys, including “a 50-year-old [Johnson],” Glover, who was leading the tournament, smiled and replied, “That Zach Johnson guy? Yeah, I know him… He’s a good man. You know, it meant a lot to this tournament. Means a lot to me. I’m happy he’s playing great, especially for the people around here that love him so much. It’s great for the event. It’s great for him and great for his family. He’s a great dude.”

At that time, Johnson was sitting six strokes behind Glover. Coming into Sunday, that gap has been halved to three, with Johnson alone in seventh at 13-under. On the other hand, Glover will be part of the final pairing with Lee Hodges on Sunday. They are tied for first after 54 holes at 16 under. Johnson and Glover have been close friends for a long time, having played on the PGA Tour together for decades now. There was chatter that their friendship might have soured after Johnson didn’t choose Glover as a captain’s pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup, but Glover’s recent remarks hint there’s no bad blood.

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Which Golfer Had an “USA” Haircut?

Sam BurnsMichael BlockBrooks KoepkaRickie Fowler

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Beyond the stats, Johnson has been a tournament ambassador since the early 2000s. He played the tournament on exemptions twice in 2002 and 2003, when he was still struggling to earn his playing status. Moreover, the former Ryder Cup captain has also served as a player representative on the John Deere Classic board of directors. This connection stretches to the people, too. The 2012 champion stated following R3, “It starts with the people, and it ends with the people.”

Although Johnson, who has won twice in his debut year on the PGA Tour Champions, says the scorecard doesn’t matter as much, he will be looking to prove his mettle anyway.

When asked about his strategy for the final round, Johnson said on moving day, “My focus right now is hydration, recovery, food, and sleep, and packing… Other than that — it’s normal. Saturday nights, that’s the norm.”

And Glover will have to be cautious about that. The PAC member’s three-year PGA Tour exemption from his two wins in 2023 runs out this year. Plus, he started the season still working his way back from labrum surgery.

“Everybody is going to have to be aggressive, so I’ve got to hit it a little better tomorrow to achieve the ultimate goal,” said Glover after R3.

But it’d be foolish to think only Johnson could pose a threat on Sunday as the leaderboard looks packed.

Multiple players have a lot at stake as well this week

The last time Lee Hodges won on the PGA Tour was back in 2023 at the 3M Open. It was his first and only Tour title. This season, he is playing on the Tour on conditional status after finishing well outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup last season.

Needless to say, a good Sunday finish, and better yet, a win, could change that dramatically.

“Tomorrow will be a little more fun. I get to go attack and just beat people. I’m just going to keep my pedal down and just shoot lower than anybody tomorrow,” Hodges said, following his Saturday round at TPC Deere Run.

Meanwhile, Ben Kohles (T3), the winner of the 2026 BMW Charity Pro-Am on the Korn Ferry Tour, is also looking for his first win on the PGA Tour. One record to keep in mind, as per the PGA Tour, is that this event has produced 25 first-time winners on the Tour since its inception in 1971. So, is it hard to expect another first-timer here? In fact, seven of the top 11 players heading into Sunday are looking for their maiden Tour title, including Zac Blair (T3).

So, yes, there’s a veteran at the top but a lot of new faces lurking near him.