Tournaments outside the limelight can make for strange bedfellows, and strange leaderboards as well. That’s one way to explain the trio atop the scorecard through one round at the John Deere Classic on Thursday: Zach Johnson, #21 on the PGA Money List this year; South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini, whose missed nine cuts in 22 events so far in 2014; and Brian Harman, he of the 321.5 yard average drives.
All three men shot 8-under 63s at Silvis, Illinois, in the last PGA event before the British Open next week.
The two men who have been the focus of the tournament’s build-up were not to be found near the top of said leaderboard.
Three-time champion and course record-holder Steve Stricker was tied for 24th at 3-under, while defending champion and 20-year-old phenom Jordan Spieth is tied for 81st after shooting an even-par 71.
Co-leader Johnson was nearly unstoppable on the back nine, birdying six out of eight holes between No. 10 and No. 17.
Sabbatini was powerfully consistent – four birdies on the front nine, four more on the back.
Harman could have been the sole leader, but a blemish with a bogey on No. 15 put him back into the tie.
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