Author: lenz

IWO celebrates its 20th anniversary with a sold-out pro-am at Mistwood

The 65th Illinois Open ends on Wednesday. Then it’s the women’s turn. The 20th anniversary staging of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open will tee off on Monday at Mistwood in Romeoville.

Like the men’s tournament, the IWO is a 54-hole competition that concludes on a Wednesday, July 20. The men’s had state-wide qualifying rounds and 156 finalists at The Glen Club. Mistwood director of golf Dan Phillips expects about 80 players to compete for a $25,000 purse in the IWO. Unlike the men’s Open, the IWO has a Sunday pro-am. Phillips reported that it’s already sold out.

The first and last champions in the IWO, and several in between, will compete at Mistwood. Diane Daugherty, the former women’s coach at Southern Illinois, won the first IWO at Odyssey in Tinley Park. The event moved to Mistwood after four staging’s there.

Elise Swartout, who plays on the LPGA’s satellite Symetra Tour, will defend her title next week. She became the fifth Michigan golfer in the last six years to win the IWO when she survived a two-hole playoff, One of the players she beat in the extra session, Berwyn veteran Nicole Jeray, will return in search of a third IWO title. The LPGA Tour member won in 1998 and 2003.

Only Burr Ridge amateur Kerry Postillion has won the tournament three times. She got her wins between 1996-99.

Another past champion will also be closely-watched. Michigan native Samantha Troyanovich was an amateur out of Tulane University when she took the 2012 title. Now she’s hoping to become the first Mistwood member to win the IWO.

“The first time I played in the Illinois Women’s Open was a shot in the dark,’’ Troyanovich said. “I didn’t known what to expect..’’

After winning she took a year off from golf to get her Master’s degree in accounting. In January she turned professional. Though she’s had trouble getting into tournaments, she has worked daily with Mike Baldwin, director of Mistwood’s upscale Performance Center.

“I needed to work with Mike,’’ said Troyanovich. “He’s my coach. I’m a full member and it’s my job 9:30 to 5. It’s a perfect setup.’’

Mistwood completed a massive renovation, supervised by Michigan architect Ray Hearn, just prior to last year’s IWO and Golf magazine named it the “Best U.S. Renovation You Can Play ‘’ in 2013. The new Performance Center also opened in time for that tournament and work on a new clubhouse is expected to begin shortly after this year’s IWO is completed.

International Crown tees off

The LPGA’s new International Crown event begins Thursday at Caves Valley in Baltimore. The inaugural four-day event, featuring four-player teams from eight countries, will set the stage for its second staging at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove in 2016.

Rich Harvest’s staff will have a booth at the Sugar Grove Corn Boil from Friday through Sunday to trigger promotional efforts for the second staging. It’ll feature live Golf Channel jumbotron updates from 3-3:15, 4:40-4:55 and 6:10-6:25 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30-2:55 p.m. on Sunday. The booth will be in operation from 4-9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Here and there

John Schickling, the head professional at Rolling Green in Arlington Heights, and Kevin Marion, who holds the same position at Old Elm in Highland Park, will be the honorees at Monday’s Illinois PGA Senior Masters event at Onwentsia in Lake Forest.

The Illinois PGA will conduct its Assistants Championship on Monday. It’ll be a one-day 36-hole event at Crystal Lake Country Club. Australian Nick Smith, who directs the Twin Lakes facility in Palatine, will defend his title.

The Chicago District Golf Assn. Centennial Team Championship is scheduled for Midlothian Country Club on Monday.

Knollwood Country Club, in Granger, Ind., will host the Chicago-based Women’s Western Golf Assn. Junior Championship next week. It’ll run Monday through Friday, Aug. 1.

The Lake Park High School Educational Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an Aug. 4 outing and reception at Medinah.

ILLINOIS OPEN: Davan shakes off tough finish in 2013 tourney

Monday’s first round of the 65th Illinois Open was full of surprises, the most notable of which was provided by Michael Davan.

Davan, from downstate Hoopeston turned pro after playing collegiately at Indiana-Purdue Indianapolis. Starting late in the day he shot a 6-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead into Tuesday’s second round at The Glen Club in Glenview. Starting his round at No. 10, Davan made five birdies in a six-hole stretch at the end of his first nine.

First-round leader Michael Davan had no trouble in his return to the Illinois Open after a tough finish in 2013. (Photo courtesy of Mike Schoaf, Illinois PGA)

That was an indication he put last year’s Illinois Open nightmare behind him. Davan took a one-stroke lead into the final hole before a water ball led to a double bogey.

In Monday’s round he lost a playing partner when Wheaton’s Tee-k Kelly, winner of the 2013 Illinois State Amateur, was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital after complaining of dehydration. Kelly returned to the course late in the day after undergoing treatment.

While Davan was the first-round’s hottest player two of the more established professionals struggled mightily. Mike Small, the University of Illinois men’s coach, shot 77 and Curtis Malm, the Illinois PGA Player-of-the-Year the last two seasons and now head at White Eagle in Naperville, shot 79. Both will have to improve to survive the cut after today’s round. The low 50 and ties advance to Wednesday’s final 18.

Small, a four-time champion in the event, had some consolation in that one of his Illini players was just one shot off the first-round lead. Alex Burge, a senior from Bloomington, made four birdies in his first five holes en route to posting a 5-under-par 67. Burge is one of a record 81 amateurs in the 156-player field.

Shot of the day was Steve Orrick’s 7-iron on the 193-yard 17th hole. It dropped for a hole-in-one, but Orrick, the head pro at Country Club of Decatur, settled for a 3-over 75.

Defending champion Joe Kinney, of Antioch, opened with a 71 and is one stroke better than two other recent winners, Wilmette’s Eric Meierdireks (2011) and Chicago’s Max Scodro (2012).

Naperville’s Ray Knoll, soon to be a freshman at the University of Iowa, followed his victory in last week’s Illinois State Amateur at Cantigny in Wheaton with a 74.

IT ZIEHMS TO ME: Lawsonia may be in Wisconsin, but its roots are in Chicago

GREEN LAKE, Wis. — Shame on me. This golf writer of nearly 50 years didn’t know nearly enough about the work of William Langford until playing in last week’s Langford Shield outing at The Links of Lawsonia.

The course got its name from the legendary newspaperman Victor Lawson. He was the publisher of the Chicago Daily News prior to his death in 1925, and The Links of Lawsonia was built on a three-hour drive from Chicago near the small college town of Ripon.

There’s reportedly a boxcar under the No. 7 green at The Links of Lawsonia. The elevation it created makes for a most interesting par-3.

Langford was a Chicago golf architect and very prominent in his profession. He and partner Theodore Moreau were the course designers. The Links of Lawsonia course didn’t open until 1930, and it has had a partner course, Woodlands, since 1985. It was designed by Rocky Roquemore, who participated in the design of Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course in Lemont.

The Langford Shield outing was created by newly-named management company Oliphant Golf to celebrate the opening of the new Langford Pub and underscore the work that Langford did as a course architect. He worked on over 200 courses nation-wide.

Big-Three golf website partner Rory Spears and I were only middle-of-the-pack in the inaugural playing of the Langford Shield, a two-man team event that is expected by be held annually, but the experience was first-rate. Lawsonia had been long-recommended, but last weekend was my first visit there.

Gary D’Amato, long-time friend and well-respected golf writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, calls it “one of the top five courses in Wisconsin.’’ That’s saying a lot, given all the positive developments going on in Wisconsin in recent years.

Lawsonia isn’t one of those new developments, but it has had a most interesting history. It was eventually purchased by the American Baptist Assembly and was closed in the 1940s so the property could be used to house German war prisoners.

Langford Shield partner Rory Spears (left) and I got a look at the original course design when Langford’s Pub opened.

From the golf side, though, this course is a real treat. I learned that most of the holes were built as replicas of holes in Scotland and the par-3 seventh apparently has a boxcar buried underneath it to create its extraordinary elevation. There may also be a boxcar under the practice range.

At any rate, Langford’s reputation alone merits a visit to Lawsonia. He was long based in Chicago and his works there include Barrington Hills, Bryn Mawr, Butterfield, Glen Oak, Park Ridge, Ruth Lake, Westmoreland and Skokie. At the outing, though, I learned that he had a special fondness for public golf and many believe The Links at Lawsonia is his best work in an extraordinary career.

Oliphant Golf, formed in 1996 and based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has done over 150 construction and renovation projects, but hasn’t been all that active in the Midwest. Ten of its projects, none in Wisconsin or Illinois, were honored in Golf Digest’s rating categories.

ILLINOIS AMATEUR: Knoll makes most of 257-hole odyssey

The reign of college players continued in the 84th Illinois State Amateur on Wednesday, but this time it took a four-hole playoff to decide the champion.

Deer Park’s Chadd Slutzky, a 36-year old financial trader, took a two-shot lead into the 36-hole finale of the tournament at Cantigny, in Wheaton. He wilted, finishing solo fourth in his bid to become the first non-college winner since 2003.

The championship was then decided in a duel of future Big Ten rivals. Naperville’s Ray Knoll (above), a sophomore-to-be at Iowa, outlasted Northbrook’s Nick Hardy, who enters Illinois in the fall.

Hardy shot 66-69, the best scores in both the third and fourth rounds. That enabled him to finish 8-under-par 280 for the tourney’s 72 holes but the strong finish only got him into a playoff with Knoll, who has been on a golf marathon. He qualified for the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic last week and played 39 holes in a failed bid to qualify for the U.S. Amateur in South Bend on Monday.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever played this much golf in my life,’’ said Knoll. “It’s been a crazy, hectic week.’’

He got the victory because of a bad drive hit by Hardy on the fourth extra hole. It sailed right, into a hazard. Hardy had to take a drop and struggled in with a double bogey six. Knoll’s drive was shorter and in the right rough, but he hit a 7-iron punch shot from 150 yards to within 15 feet of the hole,and got down in par for the victory.

Knoll’s win came in the first playoff for the title since 2004 and was a popular one with the Cantigny staff. He started playing golf at Cantigny’s Youth Links when he was five years old. He continues to practice there but went four years without playing the course until a practice round prior to the State Am. Though he lives 10 minutes away from Cantigny, he plays most of his golf at Cress Creek in Naperville.

Counting practice rounds Knolls played 257 holes in a 12-day stretch that ended on Thursday. He’ll take a weekend trip to Michigan Friday and Saturday, then play a Sunday practice round at The Glen Club in Glenview on Sunday in preparation for Monday’s start of the Illinois Open.

ILLINOIS AMATEUR: Collegiate domination could be coming to an end

Chadd Slutzky, a 36-year old financial trader from Deer Park, is in position to reverse a trend in the 84th Illinois State Amateur golf tournament on Thursday.

College players have won the prestigious title every year since 2003 but Slutzky was better than all of them in the first two rounds at Cantigny, in Wheaton. Slutzky followed his opening 66 with a 73 on Wednesday and stands at 5-under-par 139 entering Wednesday’s 36-hole wrapup to the tournament.

“Winning this would be huge, the biggest win of my life probably,’’ said Slutzky. “Just playing the same course with the younger guys and leading after two rounds is incredible.’’

Two promising college players, however, are in close pursuit. Kyle Kochevar, a redshirt junior at Virginia, is two shots back after carding a 70 in the second round and Raymond Knoll (Iowa) is another stroke back after shooting the day’s best round – a 67.

“I’m just trying to play the best I can. It doesn’t matter if I’m a college kid of nor,’’ said Kochevar, a Glen Ellyn resident still a week shy of his 20th birthday.

Neither Slutzky nor Kochevar has contended in the State Amateur before. Slutzky reached the finals twice but didn’t survive the 36-hole cut in 2008 or 2009. Kochevar entered the tournament for the first time this year.

Naperville’s Knoll, 18, came into the State Am after qualifying for last week’s John Deere Classic – the state’s only PGA Tour event of 2014. He shot 65 in a qualifying round but didn’t survive the 36-hole cut.

Strong JDC showing suggests a Zach attack is possible in British Open

Twenty-five players who competed in the John Deere Classic were on the tournament’s jet to the British Open on Sunday night. Zach Johnson figures to have the best chance of that group when the third major championship of the season tees off on Thursday at Royal Liverpool.

Johnson was the runner-up in the Quad Cities’ annual PGA Tour stop on Sunday, losing by one stroke to Brian Harman. Harman also was on the jet thanks to his victory but doesn’t have the experience overseas that Johnson has. The 2007 Masters champion has played in the British every year since 2004 and had top-10 finishes the last two years.

Winner of 11 PGA Tour events, Johnson’s game is traditionally good in July when the JDC and British are held on back-to-back weeks.

Johnson won the JDC in 2012, lost in a playoff in 2013 and was solo second on Sunday. He was ninth in the 2012 British Open and sixth last year.

“My game feels good, but my expectations over there are just to keep processing the way I’m processing, keep hitting solid shots,’’ said Johnson. “I’ve gone there with minimal confidence and played OK. It’s a totally different animal than what we experience here, and something that I truly, truly love.’’

Given his results the last two years, Johnson has high hopes for this week’s British.

“It’s a tournament where driving the golf ball is a premium,’’ said Johnson. “Driving it straight, especially if the course is firm and fast, is a huge advantage.’’

Johnson’s never had much trouble doing that, but now he wants to go to the next level – like Phil Mickelson did when he won his first British last year.

“The short game can separate you. That’s what we saw with Phil last year,’’ said Johnson. “He made some putts. Obviously he hit it well, but everybody is hitting it well at that point. Short game is what’s going to take you further.’’

Regardless of the results, Johnson cherishes his annual trip across the pond to play in a tournament with a different atmosphere than the usual PGA Tour stops.

“I love the nuances of it,’’ said Johnson. “I love what it demands. I love when I leave there, because that golf tournament magnifies my weaknesses more than any golf tournament I’ve ever played. You have to hit it high, you have to hit it low, you have to hit it left, you have to hit it right, you have to flop it, you have to bump-and-run it. You have to do everything. It’s pure golf.’’

Sluman marches on

Playing the U.S. Senior Open at Oklahoma’s Oak Tree course last week proved fruitful for Hinsdale’s Jeff Sluman. Sluman, who won the 1988 PGA Championship there but hadn’t been back in 25 years, finished in a tie for fifth in the Champions Tour’s latest major tournament.

The Senior Open was Sluman’s 92nd consecutive start. He last missed a tournament in 2010 to attend his sister-in-law’s wedding. The ironman streak is going to continue for awhile, too. Sluman had originally planned to skip next month’s Senior British Open, but he’s since changed his mind and will make the trip.

Here and there

Northbrook’s Vince India had his best finish on the Web.com Tour in Sunday’s Utah Championship when he tied for 15th – his second top-20 in the last four tournaments. He climbed to 102nd on the circuit’s money list and has six events left to get into the top 75 who qualify for the season-ending playoff series.

The 84th Illinois State Amateur’s 136-player field will be cut to the low 35 and ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead on Wednesday. The survivors will decide the title in a 36-hole final on Thursday at Cantigny in Wheaton. India won the title in 2010.

Illinois pros Kevin Streelman and D.A. Points were on the jet to the British Open even though both missed the cut at the JDC. Elmhurst’s Mark Wilson didn’t go, but he did play the full 72 holes at TPC Deere Run, finishing in a tie for 63rd place. A five-time PGA Tour winner, Wilson made only his third cut in 13 starts at the JDC.

The 65th Illinois Open tees off on Monday (JULY 21) at The Glen Club in Glenview. Antioch’s Joe Kinney will defend his title in the three-day 54-hole event. There’ll be 156 starters, most survivors of seven state-wide qualifying rounds. The field will be cut to the low 50 and ties after Tuesday’s second round.

IT ZIEHMS TO ME: Iowa’s Spirit Hollow is a true `hidden gem’

BURLINGTON, Iowa –I guess I’ll always be looking for golf’s so-called `hidden gems’ – great courses that are off the beaten path.

Too often, though, I find that these courses are more hidden than they are gems. That’s not true when it comes to Spirit Hollow, though. This is a true hidden gem in an Iowa town of about 30,000 that is just a few miles over the Illinois border. I’d heard good things about it for years and finally paid a visit during July’s John Deere Classic week.

Designed by Libertville architect Rick Jacobson, Spirit Hollow opened in 2000. It’s been a busy place that will soon get busier. Eventually, I suspect, it might even get knocked off the `hidden gem’ list.

Head professional Erin Strieck worked at Eagle Ridge and Fyre Lake before enjoying the views at Spirit Hollow.

Already Spirit Hollow hosted the Iowa Amateur in 2000 and 2012 and was the site of the last men’s National Junior College Athletic Assn. Division I championship. It’ll host the GolfWeek Challenge, which draws 15 of the top college teams, in September. Those are big events in a town that isn’t close to a bigger city. (The Quad Cities, when the PGA Tour’s JDC is played annually, are a 75-minute drive away and Western Illinois University is the closest big college).

Burlington businessman Randy Winegard has done wonderful things with Spirit Hollow and more will become self-evident soon. Eight lodge rooms are under construction, so – possibly as soon as August – Spirit Hollow will be able to offer exclusive stay-and-play packages on the premises.

“It’ll make you feel like you’re staying at your own lodge,’’ said head professional Erin Strieck, who knows her way around the Illinois-Iowa golf scene. She held a similar job at Eagle Ridge in Galena, Ill., for 15 years and then spent two more at Fyre Lake, a Nicklaus Design Group project now operating in Sherrard, Ill.

The Spirit Hollow clubhouse is in the midst of a major renovation.

Lodging isn’t all that’s coming in what will end up as about a $1 million renovation. There’ll also be a new bar and grill in the clubhouse and a stand-alone pavilion will be constructed near the driving range to host outings and other big events.

Spirit Hollow already has other entertainment options available to its visitors. The Catfish Bend Inn, four miles away, has a casino, water park and two restaurants and is a good place for adult get-aways, business gatherings and family vacations. And now the golf alternative – already quite good – is getting a boost.

Does this fake wolf scare you? It apparently keeps the geese away from Spirit Hollow’s No. 6 hole.

“We’re lucky to have an owner who wants to take Spirit Hollow to the next level in achieving excellence,’’ said Strieck. “Our ultimate goal is Top 100 (in the various course ratings) and No. 1 in Iowa. With the addition of the lodging rooms, and as the place matures, that’s definitely within our reach.’’

I don’t doubt that for a minute, but more about the course facilities. Spirit Hollow may be the best buy in the Midwest now — $35 for seniors with cart included seven days a week. The clubhouse has an indoor hitting facility that allows for winter practice, and having music playing on a big practice range offers a nice, somewhat unusual twist.

Finding your way to the No. 9 green isn’t easy. This great par-4 is my favorite hole at Spirit Hollow.

Jacobson, who got his start in golf architecture working for Jack Nicklaus, formed his own company in 1991. He’s done a lot of work in China lately, but his creations in the Chicago area include two real good ones – Strawberry Creek in Kenosha and Bowes Creek in Elgin. Spirit Hollow ranks at least on par with those. He’s also done renovation work at such quality places as Kemper Lakes, North Shore, Bob O’Link, Oak Park, Cantigny and Sunset Ridge. That should speak volumes about what you can expect if you visit Spirit Hollow.

The staff there is also notable. In addition to Strieck, the general manager is Jim Wyffels. He was superintendent at The General at Eagle Ridge before moving on to Fyre Lake and then Spirit Hollow.

There are lots of good holes at Spirit Hollow. You don’t forget No. 6, a 445-yard par-4 where some extremely realistic-looking “wolves’’ serve as decoys to keep geese off the green and away from the pond that fronts the putting surface.

None of the holes, however, are more memorable than No. 9 – a short dogleg right par-4. A stream runs in front of the long, elevated green and a waterfall – though not really in play – provides an added attraction. Play the hole from the right tee – 266 yards from the front one, or longer tests from 321, 365 or 410 yards — and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a challenge as much fun as this one.

JDC: Johnson, Stricker can’t keep up with Harman

SILVIS, IL. – Local heroes Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker were in the hunt and the weather couldn’t have been better. That assured the John Deere Classic its best year for attendance and revenue since tournament director Clair Peterson invited Michelle Wie to spice up the field eight years ago.

Johnson and Stricker, though, couldn’t deliver when the $846,000 first prize was on the line. Brian Harman (below, celebrating his qualification for the British Open), stood the tallest on Sunday — even though the third-year left-handed hitting pro from Georgia measures just 5-foot-7.

Harman didn’t have the resume that three-time winner Stricker had built up, nor could his compare with Johnson, who won here in 2012 and finished as the runner-up for the third time on Sunday. Harman, who started the tournament with a No. 115 world ranking, had never even led one round of a PGA Tour event until this week.

All that didn’t matter once the final round firing began. Starting the day with a one-stroke lead on Stricker and playing in the final twosome for the first time on the PGA Tour, Harman showed he was up to the task early. He put his second shot on the par-5 second hole to four feet and made the eagle putt.

Stricker had the dubious honor of watching Harman the rest of the way, and he could produce no better than a one-over-par 72 to finish in a tie for 11th. Johnson, playing four groups behind Harman, got home in 64, best round of the day. It was two better than Harman in the final round but one shy of matching him over 72 holes.

Harman, who finished at 22-under-par 262, strung three straight birdies in a crucial stretch from holes 14 through 16. Three in front after that last birdie putt dropped, he nursed the lead through the last two holes.

“He’s fierce. There’s not a whole lot of fear there,’’ Johnson said of Harman. “He might be a small guy stature-wise, but there’s nothing small about him in his golf game.’’

Harman was paired with Johnson in the JDC’s final round two years ago when Johnson emerged the champion and Harman tied for 19th in his first JDC. They’ve practiced together occasionally since then in St. Simon’s Island, S.C.

“My guess is he probably learned a little bit when we played together two years ago and now he’s applying it,’’ said Johnson. “He’s had some low numbers….He’s always been known as a gritty player who plays pretty simple golf. To me it was just a matter of time. What we saw today is totally indicative of a lot of hard work and perseverance.’’

Harman admitted the previous pairing with Johnson had long-term benefits, but more went into this breakthrough win.

“At the beginning of the year I tried to imitate too many other players,’’ he said. “Then I decided I should just try to be a better version of myself.’’

That didn’t always work. He missed the cut at the Greenbrier Classic in his last tournament and made a 10-hour drive back to Georgia for practice and a thoughtful day on the beach before regrouping in the Quad Cities.

Harman was 11-under-par on the par-5s this week, and TPC Deere Run has only three of them. The U.S. Junior Amateur champion in 2003, he had gone 88 starts without a win on the PGA Tour. His best results prior to Sunday were two third-place finishes.

“I’ve had a lot of chances this year, and I learned from all those chances,’’ said Harman, whose perks from winning included a berth in this week’s British Open. “I just had to be able to close it out, especially with Zach playing such a good round. Pulling it out was pretty cool.’’

Both Harman and Johnson had caddie issues during the week. Johnson’s regular bag-toter, Damon Green, was playing in the U.S. Senior Open but Johnson said that didn’t affect the outcome. Harman’s caddie, Scott Tway, became ill during Thursday’s first round and Jay Hatch, a high school coach in Davenport, Iowa, carried the final 12 holes. Tway resumed his duties in the second round and finished the tournament.

Harman became the sixth University of Georgia golfer to win on the PGA Tour this year and is the 21st first-time winner in the JDC’s 44-year history.

JDC: Hot threesome is combined 24-under; Brown posts 61

SILVIS, IL. – If ever there was a day for low scoring it was in Saturday’s third round of the John Deere Classic. The course was softened by an overnight downpour, and the lift, clean and place rule was put into effect. Only a light breeze factored into the playing conditions on what has been one of the easiest course on the PGA Tour over the years.

Only one threesome, though, really took the ideal conditions to heart. Scott Brown, Jhonattan Vegas and Daniel Summerhays started the day in the middle of the pack and climbed the leaderboard fast.

Brown posted the best round of the week, a 10-under-par 61 that matched the low round on the PGA Tour in 2014 and was the lowest third round in JDC history. Vegas, in danger of losing his playing privileges after enduring shoulder surgery, carded a 63 and Summerhays included two eagles in a round of 65. One of those eagles came off the shot of the day – an approach that caromed off a Shot Link tower behind the No. 5 green and rolled into the cup.

“Best eagle I’ve ever seen,’’ said Vegas, who got the party started with birdies on the first three holes. As a group the threesome was 24 under par and had a best ball of 57 on the par-71 course.

Brown, whose only PGA Tour victory came at last year’s Puerto Rico Open, made 10 birdies and was surprised that there weren’t more low scores.

“Scores are always low here,’’ said Brown, “and the course was drier than I thought it would be. We could have played the ball down easily.’’

Brown was on 59 watch after going to 9-under with a 10-foot birdie putt at No. 15. He had another 10-footer for eagle at the par-5 17th but misfired and, though he tapped in for birdie, his chances at become the seventh player in PGA Tour history to dip under 60 were gone.

The 44-year old tournament didn’t have two such hot scores in a round since Paul Goydos shot 59 and Steve Stricker 60 in the first round in 2010. Like Vegas, Goydos has been playing on a medical exemption and this JDC could be his last tournament on the PGA Tour if he doesn’t finish high in Sunday’s final round.

Vegas, who had shoulder surgery in February of 2012, has three tournaments left on his medical exemption status. He needs to earn $281,000 in those events to keep his PGA Tour card and could get it with a high finish on Sunday.

“I’m trying to win a golf tournament. That’s my mentality,’’ said Vegas. “I’ll just play golf and whatever happens, happens.’’

As good as they were on Saturday, Brown and Vegas have plenty of work to do if they’re to claim the $846,000 winner’s check on Sunday. Brian Harman, a left-handed golfer, and three-time winner Stricker were almost as good as they were on Saturday in landing spots in the final twosome of the final round. It’ll be Harman’s first experience in a final group pairing on the PGA Tour.

Bolstered by eagle puts of 29 feet at No. 2 and 47 feet at No. 17, Harman carded a 6-under 65 on Saturday to open a one-shot lead on Stricker, who shot 64. Harman is at 17-under 196 through 54 holes. Brown is solo third, another shot back, and Vegas is in a tie for eighth.

Third-round co-leaders Zach Johnson and William McGirt shot 69s and dropped into a four-way tie for fourth. Defending champion Jordan Spieth shot 67 and is tied for 14th. Spieth is six shots off the lead, the same deficit he faced after 54 holes last year before he took the title in a three-man five-hole playoff.

JDC: Zach’s at the top of the leader board again

SILVIS, IL. – The John Deere Classic isn’t Zach Johnson’s personal showcase. It just seems that way at times.

Johnson, from Cedar Rapids, has long been Iowa’s premier touring pro. He got his start thanks to sponsor exemptions offered by the JDC and he used them well at his closest hometown tournament .

Eventually Johnson won the 2007 Masters became a member of the JDC’s board of directors. This year he landed a sponsorship agreement with the event and, — oh, yes – he’s also playing well at TPC Deere Run again. Johnson won the JDC for the first time in 2012 when he snapped Steve Stricker’s three-year winning streak.

Last year he didn’t win the JDC (19-year old Jordan Spieth did), but Johnson did capture Illinois’ other PGA Tour stop of 2013 — the BMW Championship at Conway Farms in Lake Forest. The year’s it appears he could be back at the top of the JDC leaderboard when the $4.7 million tourney concludes on Sunday.

Johnson gained a share of the first-round lead after shooting a 63 on Thursday. He added a 67 in Friday’s second round to hit the midway point in the tourney in a tie for the lead with William McGirt. Both are at 12-under-par 130 and one stroke ahead of Johnson Wagner, Steven Bowditch and Brian Harman.

“Once again, a pretty solid day,’’ said Johnson. “There were a lot of positives all around. I’m just really comfortable here.’’

There’s an eerie similarity to Johnson’s effort this week and the year of his victory here. Two years ago his regular caddie, Damon Green, was given the week off so he could play in the U.S. Senior Open. Green qualified for the Senior Open again this year, so he’s competing in Tulsa, Okla., instead of being on Johnson’s bag.

So far, no problem. Two years ago Johnson used his swing coach, Mike Bender. This time he borrowed Matt Kuchar’s bag-toter, Lance Bennett. The results were still good, as Johnson enter the weekend three strokes ahead of Stricker and five in front of defending champion Spieth.

“It definitely feels different. An integral part of my team is not with me,’’ said Johnson. “But Lance has adapted to me. He could caddie for anybody. ‘’

The field was cut after Friday’s round, and among those failing to qualify for the weekend rounds was the tourney’s Cinderella story. Raymond Knoll, a Naperville North graduate who will begin his sophomore season at Iowa in the fall, earned a place in the field by shooting a 7-under-par 65 in Monday’s qualifying round at Pinnacle Country Club in nearby Milan.

Knoll, 18, couldn’t keep the good times going, shooting 74-71 to miss the cut in his first PGA Tour event. His Iowa teammate, Steven Ihm, did make it to the weekend, however. So did the other two amateurs in the field, Stanford’s NCAA champion Cameron Beckman and Oklahoma State’s Jordan Niebrugge, who will defend his Western Amateur title at Chicago’s Beverly Country Club later this month.

Due to the threat of severe weather in the Quad Cities, Saturday’s rounds will start off both the Nos. 1 and 10 tees.