Berger, Snedeker in for next week's JDC

A former JDC champ also moved up the priority list to get into the 156-man field for the $6.2 million event at TPC Deere Run.

Brandt Snedeker and Daniel Berger were among the notable additions on Friday afternoon before the 4 p.m. entry deadline. Jonathan Byrd, the 2007 JDC champ, had been entered to play in Monday’s four-spotter qualifier at Oakwood Country Club until a spot in the final field opened up for him as the composition of the players changed.

“Those are nice additions to the field,” said Clair Peterson, JDC tournament director.

Berger and Snedeker are among 38 golfers at the JDC to have won within the last three years. Also, three players with prestigious wins are in the field via that category — Si Woo Kim (Players Championship), 2012 JDC champ Zach Johnson (British Open) and Jason Dufner (Arnold Palmer Invitational).

Berger, who most recently won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, comes in ranked No. 16 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is also No. 22 in the FedEx Cup rankings. The 28-year-old is the highest-ranked player in both metrics who will tee it up next week at Deere Run.

The four-time Tour winner has six Top 10 and 11 Top 25 finishes this season in 17 starts.

Snedeker, the 2012 FedEx Cup champion, has nine PGA Tour victories, the most recent at the 2018 Wyndham Championship. He made the cut at this week’s Rocket Mortgage Championship as he looks to improve upon his No. 105 FedEx Cup ranking.

Byrd is among nine former champions expected to play, including defending champ Dylan Frittelli. Others are Michael Kim (2018), Ryan Moore (2016), Brian Harman (2014), Johnson, Steve Stricker (2009-10-11), John Senden (2006), Sean O’Hair (2005).

Berger is among eight players ranked in the Top 50 in the FedEx Cup chase coming into the JDC. Others are Sungjae Im (30), Si Woo Kim (33), Harman (34), Kavin Na (39), Russell Henley (42), Hudson Swafford (43) and Aaron Wise (50).

News this week of a final spot in the Open Championship field going to the highest JDC finisher among the top five not already qualified did not prove to be much of a lure. Neither did word from the R&A regarding a change in housing protocols because of the COVID-19 virus. The latter created a lot of chatter among pros and their teams, causing issues with travel plans.

Peterson also point to the international flavor of this year’s field.

“I didn’t realize it until it was pointed out to me recently that we have 13 players in the field who will be representing their country in the Olympics later this month,” said Peterson, noting there are 15 players who are already eligible for the British Open the following week and set to take the Deere-sponsored charter to England.

“We are going to have 156 of the best professional golfers in the world here next week to entertain the fans,” said Peterson. “… There are so many players in the field that can win.”

Two other Midwest guys — Pekin’s D.A. Points and Chicago’s Mark Wilson — also got into the field on Friday. Points made it in on his status and Wilson and tournament regular Jason Bohn were given sponsor exemptions.

Also getting in via the PGA Tour reorder category were Ricky Barnes and Greg Chalmers.

Players who recently dropped out include Charley Hoffman and K.H. Lee, who are ranked 28th and 35th in the FedEx Cup rankings. Peterson said Lee's wife is expecting a child soon. 

JOHN DEERE CLASSIC FIELD AS OF Friday, July 2, 2021

Byeong Hun An, Mark Anderson, Ryan Armour, Aaron Baddeley, Sangmoon Bae, Chris Baker, Ricky Barnes, Charlie Beljan, Daniel Berger, Ryan Blaum, Jonas Blixt, +Jason Bohn, Dominic Bozzelli, Joseph Bramlett, Ryan Brehm, Scott Brown, Bronson Burgoon, Jonathan Byrd, Rafa Cabrera Bello. 

Rafael Campos, Sebastian Cappelen, Greg Chalmers, Cameron Champ, K.J. Choi, Austin Cook, Cam Davis, Jason Dufner, Tyler Duncan, Matt Every, +Micahel Feagles, Harrison Frazar, Dylan Frittelli, Brice Garnett, Michael Gellerman, Doug Ghim, Rhein Gibson, Michael Gligic, Lucas Glover, Fabián Gómez, Will Gordon.

Bill Haas, Chesson Hadley, Brandon Hagy, Brian Harman, Scott Harrington, David Hearn, Russell Henley, Jim Herman, Kramer Hickok, Harry Higgs, Bo Hoag, J.B. Holmes, Beau Hossler, Charles Howell III, Mark Hubbard, John Huh, Sungjae Im, Zach Johnson, Sung Kang, Michael Kim, Si Woo Kim, +Tripp Kinney, Patton Kizzire, +Luke Kluver, Satoshi Kodaira.

Anirban Lahiri, Martin Laird, Andrew Landry, Hank Lebioda, Nelson Ledesma, Danny Lee, Tom Lewis, David Lingmerth, Luke List, Adam Long, +Willie Mack III, Hunter Mahan, Peter Malnati, Ben Martin, Denny McCarthy, Tyler McCumber, Maverick McNealy, -George McNeill, Troy Merritt, Keith Mitchell, Ryan Moore, Sebastian Munoz, Grayson Murray, Kevin Na, Matthew NeSmith, Alex Noren, Henrik Norlander.

Sean O'Hair, Rob Oppenheim, C.T. Pan, Cameorn Percy, Mito Pereira, Pat Perez, +David Perkins, Scott Piercy, D.A. Points, J.T. Poston, Ted Potter, Jr., Seamus Power, #Chad Proehl, Andrew Putnam, Chez Reavie, Doc Redman, Wes Roach, Patrick Rodgers, Andres Romero, Sam Ryder.

Rory Sabbatini, +Alex Schaake, Adam Schenk, Chase Seiffert, John Senden, Robby Shelton, Roger Sloan, Brandt Snedeker, J.J. Spaun, Kevin Stadler, Scott Stallings, Kyle Stanley, Shawn Stefani, Sepp Straka, Robert Streb, Kevin Streelman, Steve Stricker, Brian Stuard, Zack Sucher, Hudson Swafford.

Ben Taylor, Nick Taylor, Vaughn Taylor, Josh Teater, Michael Thompson, D.J. Trahan, Martin Trainer, Kevin Tway, Bo Van Pelt, Erik van Rooyen, Harold Varner III, Jhonattan Vegas, Kris Ventura, Camilo Villegas, Johnson Wagner, Nick Watney, Richy Werenski, Vincent Whaley, +Mark Wilson, Aaron Wise.

WD: Kevin Chappell, James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Chris Kirk, K.H. Lee, William McGirt, Peter Uihlein, Tim Wilkinson.

Alternates: Richard S. Johnson, J.J. Henry, Tommy Gainey, Arjun Atwal, Parker McLachlin, Ben Crane, Derek Ernst, Robert Garrigus, Carl Pettersson. John Merrick, Daniel Chopra, Chris Couch, Brian Davis, Omar Uresti, Mark Hensby.

Bold: new addition to field

+Sponsor exemption

# section champ

(four open qualifiers to be determined Monday)