SILVIS, Ill. — A champion will be crowned at the 2025 John Deere Classic on Sunday.
Dozens of players enter the final round in contention, headlined by the likes defending John Deere Classic champion Davis Thompson, Max Homa and PGA Tour veteran Matt Kuchar.
A wild third round saw whipping winds, firm greens and an incredibly congested leaderboard. At one point on Saturday afternoon, there was a 10-way tie for first, with more than half the field within three strokes of the lead at that time.
So who will come out on top? Here are the top contenders heading into Sunday’s final round at TPC Deere Run.
Davis Thompson
Something about this place just clicks for Davis Thompson. He won the John Deere Classic at 28 under last year and enters Sunday with the solo lead and a chance to go back-to-back to secure his second career victory on the PGA Tour. Thompson’s performance in 2025 has been lackluster compared to what he did in 2024, when he racked up five top 10s and two runner-up finishes. He has just one top 10 this year, which came at the Players Championship. Those struggles could all be erased with a successful title defense Sunday.
“[My mentality] shouldn’t change a whole lot, but I feel like your focus sharpens a little more and you’re able to — I find it easier to commit to every shot when I’m in the lead as opposed to the back of the pack. Just got to stick to my game plan tomorrow.”
Max Homa
Is he back? We’ll see, but this is Max Homa’s best position entering a final round in a long time. His struggles in 2025 have been well-documented. He’s missed seven cuts in 16 starts and only has one top 25 finish, which came at the Masters where he tied for 12th. Homa opened with an 8-under 63 on Thursday and followed it with a 68 on Friday before signing for another 68 Saturday, putting him in a four-way tie for second and in prime position to get back in the winner’s circle for the first time since 2023.
“Golf is just been very boring for me this year. I haven’t had a whole lot of stress, and you want to be stressed out,” Homa said after his third round. “So I look forward to the butterflies in the morning. I look forward to the first tee shot. It’s just nice to get to feel that again. It’s been a while.”
Emiliano Grillo
A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, the 32-year-old Argentinian looks to secure just his second win in the last decade. His first came at the Frys.com Open in 2015 when a 21-year-old Grillo beat Kevin Na in a playoff. Eight years later, he won the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge. Now he enters the final round at the John Deere Classic in a tie for second, having carded three solid rounds (65, 66, 68) to open the tournament. He has six top 25 finishes but has yet to crack the top 10 this season, but he could be hoisting a trophy and collecting a big check when all is said and done on Sunday evening.
“You have to play well,” Grillo said. “There is no A and B. There is not a multiple choice. You have to play well out here. You have to execute and then you have to make the putts. So, that’s kind of the mentality for me. You know, it’s a fine line because sometimes you try to push it a little bit and it doesn’t go your way.”
David Lipsky
The John Deere has produced 24 first-time winners on the PGA Tour, the most of any event since 1970. David Lipsky could join that club Sunday at TPC Deere Run. The 36-year-old from Los Angeles has been uber-consistent, going 64-67-68 in the first three rounds and entering the final round in a tie for second. He’s made 136 starts on the PGA Tour with 12 top 10s and four top 5 finishes, but he’s still seeking that elusive first victory. No better place to do it, David.
“I think people get lost in trying to overthink things,” Lipsky said about his approach for the final round. “I trust my game and I know it’s good. Just do what I’ve been doing and go out there and see what I can do.”
Brian Campbell
Brian Campbell broke into the winner’s circle with his first career victory at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld in February, where he won a playoff over Aldrich Potgieter. The 32-year-old Californian shot 6-under 65 on Thursday before carding 66 on Friday and 68 on Saturday to enter the final round in a tie for second. It may not seem likely, but there is an outside chance Campbell could make a late push for a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He’s currently 46th in the standings, so he has some work to do, but a second win in his 2025 campaign would certainly move him closer.
Austin Eckroat
Seeking his third PGA Tour victory, Eckroat shot 8-under 63 on Thursday and posted a somewhat disappointing even-par 71 Friday, but he got back in the mix with a 67 in the third round. He enters Sunday in a tie for sixth with Kurt Kitayama, Seamus Power and Camilo Villegas. Eckroat won twice last year, at the World Wide Technology Championship and the Cognizant Classic. His best finish in 2025 thus far is a T13 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He’s in a great position to top that on Sunday, but above all, the 26-year-old Oklahoma State alum is enjoying himself at TPC Deere Run.
“This is fun. It’s why we practice,” said Eckroat. “You get that anxiety and the rush. Obviously there is a lot going through your brain and you just try to focus on the shot and do the best you can. That’s obviously the goal.”
Kurt Kitayama
Kitayama burst onto the scene with a big win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2023, but he’s been quiet lately. His best finish of 2025 was a T5 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, but other than that, he hasn’t cracked the top 10 and he’s missed the cut in half his starts. But after three solid rounds, he’s three behind the leader entering Sunday. He’ll need a bit of a run, but nothing is impossible at the John Deere Classic.
“Just keep doing what I’m doing,” Kitayama said. “We’ll see where I’m at come tomorrow. You know, just hopefully get some more putts to drop.”
Matt Kuchar
He ain’t done yet, folks. Kuchar, at 47 years old, is very much in contention after firing three consecutive under-par rounds to open the John Deere Classic. Kuchar is a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, but he hasn’t hoisted a trophy since the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii. There are a lot of young studs in the field this week, but could it be ol’ man Kooch who comes out victorious at TPC Deere Run? He’s feeling as good as new, it seems.
“Listen, I still feel like a kid. I still get excited to come to those tournaments,” Kuchar said. “One of the unique things about the game of golf is every week we all start at even par, we all have a chance of doing something great.”