Brian Campbell proved two things during the final round of the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic on July 6: his first PGA Tour title five months ago was no fluke and he’s money in sudden death.
Campbell parred the first playoff hole at the TPC Deere Run to beat Emiliano Grillo and become the sixth multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season. Both finished at 18-under 266, and both shot 4-under 67 in the final round. They each started the day one shot off the lead.
Campbell hit the fairway and green at the par-4 18th hole and two-putted from 16 feet. Grillo, trying to notch his third PGA Tour title and first since the 2023 Schwab Challenge, hit his drive in the right rough, pounded his second shot over the green, then failed to get a tentative chip onto the putting surface. He missed a chip for par and tapped in for bogey.
Campbell won his first PGA Tour event at the Mexico Open in February by beating Aldrich Potgieter, last week’s winner in the Rocket Classic, in two playoff holes. Campbell earned $1,512,000 to jump from 71st to 37th on the money list with $3,174,659 and earned 500 FedEx Cup points to move from 59th to 28th.
Campbell had been struggling since his first victory and had not posted another top 10 finish in 12 starts. His best finishes were ties for 32nd in the Masters and the RBC Heritage.
PGA Tour goes across the Atlantic
It was the third playoff in five weeks on the PGA Tour, which now moves to the British Isles for the next two weeks, for the Genesis Scottish Open July 10-13 at the Renaissance Club, then for the Open Championship July 17-20 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
David Lipsky of England (68) eagled the 17th hole on a putt of 8 feet to tie Campbell and Grillo for first but bogeyed No. 18 after a drive he hooked into heavy rough, a pitch out, a third shot from 116 yards to within 15 feet and a par putt attempt that nicked the edge of the hole before staying out.
Lipsky fell into a tie with Kevin Roy (65) for third. Six players tied for fourth at 16-under: Max Homa (69), Matt Kuchar (66), Carson Young (64), Lucas Glover (64), Jacob Bridgeman (64) and Kurt Kitiyama (67).
Defending champion Davis Thompson (72), who was the 54-hole leader at 15-under, had three bogeys late on his front nine and bogeyed the final hole to drop into a tie for 18th at 14-under.
The tournament was a logjam near the top for the entire weekend. There was a nine-way tie for the lead during the third round on July 5 and entering the final round 19 players were within five shots of Thompson.
Six players were tied for the lead just after 2 p.m. during the final round and there was a five-way tie at 3:45 p.m.
When Roy posted a 17-under to lead in the clubhouse, he was tied with three other players, Campbell, Grillo and Lipsky. Campbell overcame a double bogey at No. 15 to play the last three holes at 1-under, with a birdie at the 17th, and Grillo duplicated that finish.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: John Deere Classic: Brian Campbell wins second PGA Tour title in playoff over Emiliano Grillo
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
