Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

John Deere Classic Opens; Model Fades Griffin, Backs Coody

6/30/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Model Fades Griffin

The 2026 John Deere Classic starts Thursday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
FanDuel lists Ben Griffin and Chris Gotterup as co-favorites at +1500, with Keith Mitchell +2000.
A predictive model advises bettors to fade Griffin, projecting he will finish outside the top five.
The model ranks Pierceson Coody as a top contender at +3300, noting recent T-2 and sub-71 rounds.

Summary

McCarthy Top Pick

Denny McCarthy is the top horse-for-course fantasy pick for 2026 John Deere Classic, which fields 144 players at TPC Deere Run.
The one-and-done format lets participants select a single golfer each tournament for a league.
Survivor leagues require the golfer to make the cut each week to stay in contest.
GNN advertises a deal of “2 years for price of 18 months OR 3 years for price of 2 years.”

History

Historical Context

Fantasy golf began in the 1950s when Oakland businessman Bill Winkenbach created a roster-based game, and Phoneworks expanded it nationally with Fairway Fantasy in 1991. The PGA Tour’s 1995 season marked its 80th year, and the sport’s popularity surged after DraftKings added golf in the 2010s, with about 9 % of U.S. fantasy players choosing golf by 2023.

1 of 3

Model Fades Griffin

The 2026 John Deere Classic starts Thursday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
FanDuel lists Ben Griffin and Chris Gotterup as co-favorites at +1500, with Keith Mitchell +2000.
A predictive model advises bettors to fade Griffin, projecting he will finish outside the top five.
The model ranks Pierceson Coody as a top contender at +3300, noting recent T-2 and sub-71 rounds.

1 / 3