Kim Juhyung Eyes First Victory in 2 Years and 9 Months After Comeback Success

Aiming for Fourth Career Win at the John Deere Classic

Momentum Building After First Top-5 in 18 Months at the US Open

Im Sungjae (FedEx Cup No. 60) and Noh Seungyul Join the Field

Joo-hyung Kim is ready to soar again.

On July 3 (Korean time), he will compete for the title at the John Deere Classic, a PGA Tour event held at TPC Deere Run (par 71) in Silvis, Illinois, with a total prize fund of 8.8 million dollars. He is aiming for his first victory in two years and nine months, since winning the Shriners Children’s Open in October 2023.

With three career wins on the PGA Tour, Kim participated in 26 tournaments last year, with only one top-10 finish. This season, he has played in 14 events since the opening, but his only top-10 result was a tie for sixth place at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May.

Joo-hyung Kim aims to win at the John Deere Classic. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

However, Kim found a turning point by finishing third at the 126th US Open, a major event that concluded on June 22. This is his best result since finishing runner-up in the Grant Thornton Invitational—a mixed-gender pairs event—alongside Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand) in December 2024.

The PGA Tour ranked Kim as the second favorite to win at the John Deere Classic in its official power rankings published on its website. The PGA Tour noted, “Although Kim struggled early in the season, he has recently gained momentum with three top-15 finishes in his last five events.” The top spot in the power rankings went to Ben Griffin (USA), who is ranked 16th in the world. Although Kim did not participate in last week’s signature event, the Travelers Championship, he has prepared for the John Deere Classic by getting plenty of rest.

This event will see the absence of many top-ranked players. The reason is that they are focusing on the upcoming Genesis Scottish Open (Scotland) and The Open (England) that follow the John Deere Classic. None of the world’s top 10 players are participating. The highest-ranked player in the field is Chris Gotterup (USA), who is ranked 14th globally.

Im Sung-jae, who finished tied for 30th at the Travelers Championship, will also compete in this event. Currently ranked 60th in the FedExCup standings, he is striving to break into the top 30. Noh Seung-yul, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour (the PGA’s second-tier tour), is also listed in the field.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.