When Brian Campbell (pictured) made the Western Amateur’s Sweet Sixteen in 2014, the University of Illinois team member was joined by at least 10 other players who went on to compete on the PGA Tour, three of whom are now major champions (Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau).
Campbell’s journey, which included a sponsor exemption to the 2015 John Deere Classic (JDC) shortly after he left college, has been more challenging. Now age 32, the native of Newport Beach, California earned his PGA Tour card in 2017 but lost it and then spent the next seven seasons battling injuries and trying to remain eligible for the Korn Ferry Tour. He finally made it back to the PGA Tour in 2024 and recorded his second playoff victory of this year, July 6, when he defeated Emiliano Grillo to win the John Deere Classic before a boisterous crowd of Illini faithful.
Unlike the bombers who dominate the PGA Tour, Campbell averages only 276.6 yards off the tee, putting him last in the Tour’s driving distance standings. Injuries frustrated him.
“Unfortunately, we had a couple of years there where it wasn’t looking so good,” he said after his victory.
Yet he persevered, winning the Mexico Open earlier this season in a playoff with Aldrich Potgieter, a South African who averages 328.2 yards off the tee. Campbell and Grillo finished at 18-under par at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Campbell made an easy two-putt par on the first playoff hole (18) to defeat Grillo after the Argentinian blew his second shot over the green on the par 4 and failed to get up and down. Campbell pocketed $1.512 million for his trouble.
“Magic does happen at the John Deere Classic,” said Campbell, who visited the Champaign campus before traveling to the Quad Cities and reveling in the Illini crowd. “I loved the support…It really spurred me on and was awesome to hear…I’m just so proud to be in the same conversation as [three-time JDC winner] Steve Stricker. I’ve looked up to him before college started let alone go to the same college as him.”
Campbell, who now makes his home in South Carolina with girlfriend Kelsi McKee, said his years with Illini coach Mike Small helped prepare him for tough times in the pros.
“That’s exactly what Coach Small helps us do, is prepare for those moments...We are very competitive within our team. But…we care about each other very much and care about each other’s success.”
This year’s John Deere Classic had its strongest field in recent memory with six players in the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings and 10 in the top 50. Why? The number of players eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs was lowered to 70 from 100 this year and the number of automatic Tour cards for 2026 is down to 100 from 125. Notable names such as Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Tom Kim and Joel Dahmen all entered the tournament trying to improve their playoff status or salvage tough seasons.
Meanwhile, Arlington Heights native Doug Ghim finished T31 after leading the tournament for the first two days with rounds of 62-68. A 74-69 finish dropped him down the leaderboard…Northwestern alumnus David Lipsky finished T3 and earned $495,600…Max Homa, Matt Kuchar and Kurt Kitayama finished T5 at 13-under…Fowler and defending champion Davis Thompson finished T18… Northbrook native Nick Hardy missed the cut for the second consecutive year after not missing it the first four times he played. Hardy recently changed coaches to Sean Foley… This year’s John Deere Classic broke the $200 million milestone in charitable contributions since the tournament started (1971), with more than 99% of the money raised since Deere assumed title sponsorship in 1998. —Barry Cronin