Aaron Rai from England, coming off a close finish last week in Detroit, is now tied for the lead with C.T. Pan at the John Deere Classic after shooting a bogey-free round of 8-under 63 on Friday. Hayden Springer, who opened the tournament with a strong start, had a bit of a stumble with a 71 after initially shooting a 59. Despite this, he remains in contention, along with five other players within two shots of the lead.
Pan, who holed a remarkable 100-foot chip for eagle during his 63, joins Rai at 14-under 128. Rai, who shared the 54-hole lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week, emphasized his solid tee-to-green play this season and recent improvements in his putting game, which have translated well onto the course.
Luke Clanton, a Florida State sophomore, continued his impressive summer form with a 67, reaching 12-under 130. Clanton showcased resilience by rebounding from a double bogey with consecutive birdies towards the end of his round. Other contenders at 12-under included Eric Cole, Davis Thompson, and Denny McCarthy.
Further back at 11-under was Michael Thorbjornsen, a recent college graduate who secured a full PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University ranking. Two-time Deere winner Jordan Spieth also made the cut after a rocky start but remained eight shots behind the leaders. Despite a less than ideal position on the leaderboard, Spieth remained determined, acknowledging the need for a strong performance to contend for the title.
