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Lucas Glover shares John Deere Classic lead after bogey-free opening round
Past John Deere Classic champion Lucas Glover took advantage of TPC Deere Run’s firm and fast fairways during his opening round Thursday, carding an 8-under 63 to share the early clubhouse lead with Zac Blair.
One of nine past champions in the field this week, Glover was mistake free through the first 18 holes in Silvis, Illinois. In fact, his performance was the polar opposite of his Round 1 at the Travelers just a week ago, where he sat in last place after carding five bogeys and zero birdies for a 75 and watched playing partner Eric Cole fire the lowest score of the round with a 7-under 63.
“I have never — in however many starts I’ve had here — seen the fairways this firm,” said Glover, who noted that the wind was considerably down Thursday compared to earlier in the week. “We got firm fairways and soft greens, because of obviously, the heat. That’s going to lend to low scores, if it’s not blowing 25 or 30.”
The 2021 John Deere winner told reporters he saw shots “bouncing and going forever” and admitted to hitting some clubs into holes he had never hit before.
“Just because of how fast the fairways are — they’re perfect,” he added.
Lucas Glover and Zac Blair hold the clubhouse lead following the morning wave of the John Deere Classic with matching 8-under 63.
It marks Glover’s second-best score in 53 career rounds at TPC Deere Run (best: 62, 2013/R2).
For Blair, it marks his low 18-hole score this…
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) July 2, 2026
“I’m going to celebrate today because it’s been a while. I hadn’t had a round in that like a long time.”
Glover expected the typical Midwest weather and rain this week, with the tournament being held in early July, but has been pleasantly surprised.
“Doesn’t seem to be the case,” Glover said. “The golf course is perfect — that’s why the scores are so low. The ball is going forever, hitting short clubs into soft greens.”
‘Something wasn’t fundamental with me’
Glover, who finished T-66 at Travelers after three straight rounds under par, said he figured out something late at TPC River Highlands.
“You know that old saying, ‘Old habits die hard?’ Nothing more true than in this game,” said Glover, who will be back on the course Friday to tee off at 1:34 p.m. ET. “Tour players talk a lot about the fundamentals and making sure those are good. This is one of the few times it’s actually been something wasn’t fundamental with me. My back swing, I was getting a little lifty. Stopping my turn, club was going up, two-way miss. Not a good combo.
“I hit some shots on Hartford last week that kind of experience and knowing my swing told me that’s probably what it was,” he added. “When you are in last on Sunday morning, you can try some things on the course that you might not usually do. I was able to do that Sunday.”
Glover told reporters when he got to TPC Deere Run on Monday that he worked with 2025 PGA of America Teacher and Coach of the Year, Jason Baile, and went over what Baile was seeing from Glover’s back swing on video.
“It was basically just turning and turning a little bit lower, flatter. I don’t know how you’d explain it, but just not letting it lift,” Glover described the problem. “I have a pretty short swing anyway, so if it gets lifty, I get in trouble.”
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The first round of the John Deere Classic is underway at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
Anything else helping?
The last question Glover took on Thursday was about celebrating the round and treating himself with more kindness — something that Viktor Hovland talked about on Monday after winning the Travelers tournament in a one-hole playoff over Scottie Scheffler.
Glover, who is the chair of the Tour’s Player Advisory Council, said he often makes golf harder by not forgiving himself and that despite recognizing it, he continues to be “as big of a culprit as anybody.”
“I always say, ‘nobody hates me more than me,’ especially on the golf course,” he said.
“It’s a hard game. It’s a hard game, and the harder you make it — the harder you are on yourself, the harder you are making it,” he added. “It’s just nice to have a round like today where it’s kind of, all right, I remember. It’s still in there, and we can do this.”
The John Deere Classic tees off in America’s Heartland on Thursday. Here’s when the first round begins and how to watch all the action live from Silvis, Illinois.
