Lucas Glover fires 65 to lead John Deere Classic at 14 under

Lucas Glover shot a 6-under 65 on Friday to stand alone atop the John Deere leaderboard at 14 under 128, two shots clear of Lee Hodges after 36 bogey-free holes at TPC Deere Run, backing up an opening 63 with five back-nine birdies. In a field heavy on youth hype, the 46-year-old veteran has flipped the narrative as Spieth barely made the cut and Koivun's pro debut ended early.

Key Takeaways

• Lucas Glover sits at 14-under 128 after rounds of 63 and 65, leading Lee Hodges by two and Zac Blair by three.
• Glover has not made a bogey through 36 holes, holing a 12-foot par putt on his final hole Friday to seal the solo lead.
• Jordan Spieth made the cut at 3 under with three back-nine birdies; Jackson Koivun missed his pro debut after rounds of 73 and 70.
• Veterans Glover (46) and Zach Johnson (50) are outperforming the youth storyline that dominated pre-tournament talk.
• The cut fell at 3-under 141, softer than the record-low 5-under marks of the past two years at TPC Deere Run.

Who Is Leading the John Deere Classic After Round Two?

Lucas Glover kept another clean card at TPC Deere Run, holing a 12-foot par putt on his final hole for a 6-under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead Friday in the John Deere Classic. He started on No. 10 in the afternoon wave and did most of his damage on the back nine with five birdies.

Equally important was what Glover avoided: a bogey. He has gone bogey-free through 36 holes, backing up an opening 8-under 63 with Friday's 65 to reach 14-under 128. That puts him two shots ahead of Lee Hodges, who posted a 66, and another shot ahead of Zac Blair, who salvaged a nifty closing par for a 68.

Glover got off to a blazing start through his first five holes Friday. Each of his shots into the green landed 8 feet or closer; he converted three for birdie and hit his tee shot on the par-3 16th to 2 feet. Hodges stayed in range with a pair of 8-foot par putts over his final three holes, according to ESPN.

Why Are Veterans Owning the John Deere Leaderboard This Week?

For a tournament with so much emphasis on youth, the focus has shifted to some of the tour's longest-serving names. Glover is 46 and first joined the PGA Tour before the likes of Jackson Koivun, NCAA champion Preston Stout and 18-year-old Blades Brown were even born.

Before Glover teed off in the second round, 50-year-old Zach Johnson shot 70 to set the early target. Johnson, who is skipping the U.S. Senior Open this week because the Deere has always been a local event for the Iowa native, was tied for 11th, six shots behind.

Glover's bogey-free start has put a veteran at the top of a John Deere leaderboard built for low scoring in Silvis, Illinois. While the pre-tournament buzz centred on Koivun's professional debut, the 46-year-old is the one setting the pace through two rounds.

The generational contrast is the heart of this week's Nostalgia: Then & Now story. While Koivun's highly anticipated professional debut fizzled, Glover's steady golf has reminded the field that experience still counts on a scorable Midwest track.

Who Made (and Missed) the Cut at TPC Deere Run?

The cut fell at 3-under 141, and Jordan Spieth made it on the number. The two-time John Deere winner was outside by three shots until three bogeys in a five-hole stretch on the back nine during his second round. He ultimately shot 69 and needed three back-nine birdies to survive the weekend.

Spieth was paired Friday afternoon with Ben Griffin and Jackson Koivun in a marquee threesome. Griffin cruised to a second-round 65 that moved him up 40 spots on the leaderboard. Spieth battled back from a bogey on the par-5 10th—after a pulled iron into a native area—but said he simply wanted to make good swings and let the score take care of itself.

Koivun could not find the form that produced a T11 at the John Deere a year ago. His 1-under 70 on Friday was three shots better than his opening 73, but he finished at 1-over 143 and heads to next week's ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky in pursuit of his first professional made cut.

Defending champion Brian Campbell also missed the cut, finishing at 1-over 142. Past John Deere winners Dylan Fritelli (2019) and Michael Kim (2013) joined him on the sidelines, the PGA Tour reported. In the previous two years, the TPC Deere Run cut fell at a record-low 5-under par.

Where Do the Young Stars Stand on the Leaderboard?

Not every rising name struggled. The top performance among youth came from Stout and Brown. Stout, who has taken over as the world's No. 1 amateur now that Koivun has turned pro, had to take a penalty drop on the 18th hole and made bogey for a 69. He stood at 7-under 135 alongside Brown, who shot 66.

Brown turned pro while still in high school, graduated in January and has already secured special temporary membership on the PGA Tour. Like Glover, he entered the weekend bogey-free, rolling a 7-foot par putt on his last hole Friday to keep a clean card.

Still, the John Deere leaderboard tells a clear story after two rounds: the veterans are setting the pace while the most hyped rookie heads home, and Glover will carry a two-shot lead into the weekend at TPC Deere Run.