The John Deere Classic

The list of past champions at the John Deere Classic is not exactly a who's who of big names, so keep that in mind when making your picks this week. Also, watch out for a first-time winner, six of the past nine champions picked up their first W at the John Deere.

John Deere Picks

Kenny Perry: He made it known he wanted to make the Ryder Cup team, so what does he do? Wins two of his last four events, and now he comes to the John Deere Classic where he finished T11 last year.

Tommy Armour III: With top-3 finishes in his last two starts, Armour is quietly having a great run. He has five top 10s this season, and he hasn't missed a cut since April.

Jonathan Byrd: The defending champ may not win this week, only one player has successfully defended at the John Deere, but Byrd has a good history at TPC Deere Run with two top 10s in five starts.

D.J. Trahan: Since his T4 at the U.S. Open, Trahan hasn't finished outside of the top 25, and he has never missed the cut at the John Deere in three starts.

Bubba Watson: Could this be Bubba's breakthrough? With a T6 at the Travelers and a T2 at the Buick Open, Watson is knocking on the door for his first W.

Sleeper

Heath Slocum: He hasn't placed outside the top 13 in three years at the John Deere, plus he has top 10s in two of his last three events.

Players To Avoid

Sean O'Hair: Since winning in March and finishing T14 at the Masters, the 2005 John Deere champ has been M.I.A., making only three cuts since Augusta.

Zach Johnson: The 2007 Masters champ has only one top 10 this year, and he has never finished inside the top 15 in six trips to the John Deere.

Ryan Moore: He's been quiet since losing a playoff to Adam Scott in April, and Moore is coming off two straight missed cuts.