PGA Results: 2012 John Deere Classic

PGA Tour The PGA Tour was in Silvis, Illinois to for the John Deere Classic this past weekend.  The host course was TPC Deere Run in Silvis, a track which favors "ball strikers" and those who are great iron players.  Last week in the weekend preview I mentioned to watch for great iron players like Zach Johnson to contend.  Well, time for this frog to toot his own ribbit. The big story coming into this week was whether or not Steve Stricker could win his 4th John Deer Classic in a row.  Stricker did contend this week, but didn't fire a low enough round Sunday to win the 4th. Two players finished regulation at -20, Zach Johnson and Troy Matteson.  A playoff ensued, starting on the tricky par-4 18th hole.  The first go-around on the 18th was ugly.  Matteson blocked his drive in the right trees, then hit his 2nd shot in the water left.  Johnson made a mistake and hit his 2nd shot in the water as well.  Both players would tie the hole with double bogeys. On the 2nd playoff however, Johnson hit a candidate for the shot of the year.  From around 190 yards, his 6-iron finished in tap-in birdie range.  Easy birdie and a win in from of Johnson's hometown fans. Champions Tour It was a major week for the seniors, playing at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion, Michigan. For the 2nd time in as many months, Englishman Roger Champan took home a major championship.  This time it was the U.S. Senior Open.  Just like his victory at the Senior PGA Championship two months ago, Champman won by two shots.  Another irony, both victories took place in the state of Michigan. "I wanted to prove to myself and to other people that Benton Harbor wasn't a one-off event.  That was in the back of my mind." ~Roger Chapman Web.com Tour The Web.com Tour was at Utah's Willow Creek Country club this week, the Utah Championship.  Doug LaBelle II had been playing on the Web.com tour for six years and yesterday notched his 2nd victory in that long journey.  LaBelle is one step closer to the elusive jump to the PGA Tour. "I'm very surprised to be sitting here.  My goal was to make as many birdies as I could. I was conservative-aggressive. I was trying to go at some flags but not be stupid about it." ~Doug LaBelle LPGA Tour The LPGA was off this past week.