John Deere Classic Each-Way Tips: Rodgers ready to claim first win

Main Bet: Patrick Rodgers each-way @ 29.028/1

Taking a week off after the US Open was probably a good idea.

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay ran out of gas when looking good at the Travelers Championship.

Scottie Scheffler and Seamus Power also found nothing in the tank when trying to press the 'go' button on Sunday.

In that sense, Patrick Rodgers probably made the correct move by pulling out of the TPC River Highlands event having been in action for four weeks in a row.

Rodgers had finished tied 18th in the Canadian Open and was eighth after 36 holes at The Country Club following rounds of 69 and 68.

His workload appeared to catch up with him on the weekend but finishing tied 31st still matched his best finish in a major.

But a week off will freshen him up again and Rodgers should now be ready to pick up the form that saw him post a top 10 in the Mexico Open and follow it with four finishes of tied 35th or better in his next five starts.

Part of taking the Travelers off was probably due to a desire to get himself 'right' for this event, one he values highly.

The 29-year-old said: "I've contended here as an amateur, one of my first ever PGA Tour events when I was just getting my feet wet as a college player; my first summer as a pro.

"All these memories come flooding back. It's probably the most special event or tour for me. I love coming here."

As for the course, he said last year: "I feel like it suits my game."

Rodgers made the top 15 way back in 2013, was runner-up in 2017 and took tied 23rd last year after sitting 10th at halfway.

Of course, his wait for a first win goes on but that means his joint-best PGA Tour finish came here and it genuinely looks a likely contender for the big breakthrough.

As to why it suits his game, good driving and hot putting are usually the keys to success at TPC Deere Run. Indeed, Doc Redman once said: "I feel like it's a first shot and putting golf course."

Rodgers ranks 27th for SG: Putting this season and 70th Off The Tee. If the latter doesn't turn your head enough his OTT rankings in his last six events read 4-12-14-MC-32-21.

As for the temperature of the putter, he's gained a combined 9.891 strokes on the greens across his last two events.

Everything looks in place for Rodgers to have a real run at this so back him at 28/1.

Next Best: Adam Schenk each-way @ 51.050/1

Course form seems to count for plenty at TPC Deere run.

Steve Stricker is a three-time-winner, Jordan Spieth has two titles and Zach Johnson racked up a victory and three second places from 2009 to 2014.

Ryan Moore, the 2016 champion, was runner-up last year.

That helps strengthen the case for Adam Schenk, who has finished tied fourth (2021) and tied sixth (2019) in the last two editions. Covid meant the 2020 event was cancelled.

Schenk got some recent air time at the US Open where he backed up a tied 26th at Memorial with tied 24th at Brookline.

Many TV viewers found out at The Country Club that Schenk had grown up on a farm, prompting Sky commentator Paul McGinley to unveil an incredible-but-true stat about death rates in chickens.

Perhaps this Illinois tournament being sponsored by a firm famous for tractors helps him feel at home but it's also worth noting that Schenk is from Indiana, one of the other Midwest states.

And if the above line seems flippant, here's what he said in 2019: "Being from a farm, we've always had John Deere tractors, always been a big fan of the tournament, always watched it on TV, looked forward to it."

If that's the 'X' factor, the more solid ground is provided by his numbers here.

In 2019, he ranked second for SG: Tee To Green while in 2021 he was second for SG: Putting. So he's had his success here in different ways.

Schenk missed the cut last week despite a Friday 68 but perhaps that was the perfect combination: it meant he had two days off after the US Open whilst still showing his game was in good order.

His putting is inconsistent but he's putted well in the last two majors (12th SGP at the US PGA and 28th US Open) and at this course when tied sixth.

There's plenty to like so back Schenk at 50/1.

Next Best: Nate Lashley each-way @ 81.080/1

At 80/1 there could be some each-way value in Nate Lashley.

Going back to the idea of good driving and putting, those are Lashley's best statistical categories this season.

He ranks 52nd in Strokes Gained: Putting and 87th for SG: Off The Tee.

On a course where finding fairways has had more value than bombing it, Lashley's 58th spot in Driving Accuracy is also relevant.

Since early March when he took tied seventh in the Puerto Rico Open, the 39-year-old has had finishes of 11th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 25th and 27th.

The 25th came at last week's Travelers Championship where he had positive figures in all the main SG categories.

As for course form, he's played the John Deere Classic just once but came away with good memories after shooting 67-71-65-69 to post tied 26th.

That was the same season he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic with 25-under and going low is the requirement this week.

Lashley is 24th in Birdie Average while his 5th spot in Par 4 Scoring Average should also be highlighted.

Par 4 excellence is a huge plus at TPC Deere Run and the last three winners - Lucas Glover, Dylan Frittelli and Michael Kim - all topped that category.

It's easy to have Lashley down as a player of modest ability but the fact he's won a birdie-fest by six shots (the 2019 Rocket Mortgage) has to bode well.

At the top end of the market, Daniel Berger's WD means Webb Simpson has assumed favouritism at 10/1.

Simpson hasn't played here since 2010, the last of three appearances which didn't yield a top 20.

Adam Hadwin has good credentials but so he should at 18/1 while everyone in golf would surely be delighted if 22/1 Sahith Theegala lifted the silverware after his 72nd-hole agony at the Travelers.