Before the PGA TOUR spends two weeks in the U.K. for the Scottish Open and The Open Championship, it will celebrate July 4th weekend at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, for the 2026 John Deere Classic. The event is known as a great launching pad for young players looking to break through for their first win and also gives more experienced players a chance to get their elusive first win as well. Since 1979, the event has crowned 24 first-time PGA TOUR winners, the most of any tournament. As you get your DraftKings rosters together for this week, be sure to check out my top three fantasy golf picks as pivot plays for GPP contests, who are expected to bring lower ownership but still have high upside. My favorite GPP picks for this week are Jackson Koivun ($9,400), John Keefer ($7,400) and A.J. Ewart ($7,100).
Let’s define what we’re searching for in this post, to be sure we’re all aiming at the same target. A fantasy golf pivot play is a golfer with low expected ownership in tournament formats but high upside. These picks go against the grain and typically come with more risk compared to popular options with similar salaries. In large-field tournaments, it’s important to differentiate your lineup with low-ownership plays like these, even though they are NOT the safest options.
These are “grip it and rip it,” boom-or-bust style options that could go off or flame out. Getting players at low ownership is critical for success in GPP tournament-style events with many entries, so making yours stand out is critical. Be sure to check out my companion post to this one that highlights my picks for cash lineups if you’re looking for safer options that raise the floor.
Let’s break down why I like each of my top three pivot plays this week!
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $700K Sand Trap [$1M to 1st]
Top Pivot Picks for the 2026 John Deere Classic
Jackson Koivun ($9,400)
Koivun is making his professional debut this week, so there’s definitely plenty of risk in throwing him right into your lineup. However, young players have had success on this course in the past, and Koivun has plenty of raw upside that gives him potential.
The 21-year-old could be ready to make an immediate impact after an impressive college career. He won six times in 13 collegiate starts this year and helped Auburn to its second National Championship in the last three years. He will forego his Senior season and join the PGA TOUR after earning full-time status for this season and next season through the PGA Tour University accelerated program.
Koivun has a well-balanced game with lots of ability across all aspects. He has also had great finishes when on the PGA TOUR while playing on sponsor’s exemptions. He had four top-12 finishes in his seven tournaments last year, including a T11 at the John Deere Classic. He finished in the top five at the Wyndham Championship and at the Procore Championship last fall, and he had a strong T23 at the U.S. Open a few weeks ago.
His driving and putting are both excellent, which gives him the potential to go off in his debut, and he could post a high finish with a low ownership this week. He is risky but comes with a very high ceiling, which makes him perfect for GPP builds.
John Keefer ($7,400)
Another young player with a chance to be the latest breakthrough winner at TPC Deere Run is 25-year-old John Keefer. He earned his way onto the PGA TOUR by finishing on top of the Korn Ferry Tour Points List in 2025 and also won the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year honors. His season was especially impressive since it was his first year on that circuit, and he racked up a pair of wins with six top-five finishes and 15 top-25 finishes in his 23 starts.
After moving to the PGA TOUR for this year, he has made 12 cuts in 18 tournaments with a pair of top-10 finishes at the Texas Children’s Houston Open (T3) and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson (T9). Those events are played on low-scoring tracks like TPC Deere Run, and Keefer has shown he has the potential to go low when he’s at his best.
Keefer has made it to the weekend in each of his last seven individual tournaments, including two weeks ago at the U.S. Open, where he ended up T39.
Over the last six months, the youngster ranks 15th on the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach and sixth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. His putting has still been shaky at times, but his tee-to-green game gives him plenty of long-term potential and also makes him a good option at this salary even at his debut in this tournament.
A.J. Ewart ($7,100)
Let’s round out the trio of rookies with Canadian rookie A.J. Ewart, who is also making his debut at this event. Ewart made his way to the PGA TOUR through the PGA Tour Americas and then finished as the lowest scorer at Q School last December.
Over the last three months, the 26-year-old ranks 13th in the field in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting, showing he has the kind of short game that fits the venue very well. In the last 30 days, he ranks fourth in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Ewart has picked up five top-30 finishes in his last six tournaments, including a T29 at the RBC Canadian Open in his most recent start. Prior to that, he posted a T19 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson in that low-scoring event and a T17 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where accuracy is so important. Both of those events are similar to this one in some ways, and he’ll look to translate that success to another strong finish this week, as he gears up for the chase to the FedExCup Playoffs.
