Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The John Deere Classic is here, and it was the perfect opportunity to pair PGA Tour players with their perfect Big Green tractors.
The John Deere Classic is one of the staples on the PGA Tour, as it has helped catapult many player’s careers.
Has anyone thought about what the PGA Tour players’ equipment equivalent would be? With some of the coolest tee markers, why not keep the fun going by comparing players and farm equipment?
Twitter user “Tweeth Mitchell,” asked the same question, which led to a collaboration to create six players and what John Deere equipment they would be.
While it is a niche topic, it is still fun to think about and come up with comparisons.
Let’s discuss which equipment matches the players at the John Deere Classic, as we introduced “The Farm Team.”
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A graphic with Denny McCarthy and his John Deere equivalent.
Frontier RC-20 Rotary Cutter: Denny McCarthy
The Frontier RC20 is known for mowing down the competition with precision, just like sharpshooter Denny McCarthy. Because of his accuracy, McCarthy is among the favorites this week. Look for him to go for flag sticks at every opportunity.
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A graphic with Sepp Straka and his John Deere equivalent
T6 800 Combine: Sepp Straka
The T6 Combine is a heavy-duty piece of machinery with a wide body and a lot of power, just like Sepp Straka, the 2023 John Deere Classic champion.
Straka usually plays well at TPC Deere Run, and there will be plenty of opportunities to harvest birdies this week. Like a heavy-duty machine, sometimes it takes Straka time to warm up, but once he does, he will go lower.
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A graphic comparing Neal Shipley to his John Deere equivalent
9500 Self-Propelled Forage Harvester: Neal Shipley
When you need to make hay while the sun shines, you need the 9500 Self-Propelled Forage Harvester and Neal Shipley. No one has done that better with limited opportunities than Shipley.
He became the first player since Viktor Hovland in 2019 to win low-amateur at both the Masters and US Open. The former Ohio State Buckeye recorded a T20 finish last week at Rocket Mortgage in his PGA Tour debut as a professional.
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A graphic comparing Jordan Spieth to his John Deere equivalent.
R4023 Sprayer: Jordan Spieth
Two-time John Deere Classic winner Jordan Spieth is a player known for spraying the ball. He fits the bill to match perfectly with the R4023 Sprayer.
Spieth won his first Tour event here in 2013, but he will need to control his spray tendency if he wants to win the John Deere Classic for the third time in five starts. He fired a 2-under 69 in Round 1, but he will need to go low if he expects to make the cut.
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A graphic comparing J.T. Poston and his John Deere equivalent.
2230 Lift-Level Field Cultivator: J.T Poston
A player who can lift his own level in the right field and cultivate a win is the 2021 John Deere Classic champion, J.T. Poston. That ability makes his perfect equipment match the 2230 Lift-Level Field Cultivator.
He is poised for another huge week in the quad cities. Driving accuracy, approach play and clutch putting are all crucial skills at TPC Deere Run, so Poston should be able to leverage those areas for a high finish this week.
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A graphic comparing Joel Dahmen and his John Deere equivalent.
X739 Riding Mower: Joel Dahmen
Joel Dahmen looks like he owns an X739 Riding Mower or something close to it. He gives off the dad vibe who drinks cold beer and takes care of his pristine lawn. With his bucket hat and laid-back style, no other piece of equipment would fit him better.
The Netflix star looks to get his way into the FedEx Cup playoffs, and a strong finish at the John Deere Classic will help him get closer to that goal.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
