Sunday's Live Blog from the John Deere Classic

Silvis, Ill.- Steve Stricker, down to Kyle Stanley by two shots with two holes to play, won his third straight John Deere Classic title in dramatic fashion Sunday.

Stricker cut his deficit in half with a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 17. They were tied when Stanley, playing just in front of Stricker, lipped out a par putt  from just inside 10 feet on 18.

Stricker was in a difficult lie on 18. His drive was on the left side of  a bunker. Stricker had his left foot in the sand, his right foot on the ground, and hit a 6-iron just over the green. He then made the 25-footer from the fringe for birdie and his third straight John Deere title.

“This means a lot,” Stricker said of his third straight Deere title. “I didn’t think it did until I was trying to win on the back nine.”

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-Zach Johnson shot a final-round 65 and is in a tie for third late in the final round of the John Deere Classic.

Johnson had just one bogey in the 54-hole championship. He finished at 17-under 267. Johnson’s best finish at the Deere is a tie for second in 2009.

“If I would have made some putts earlier in the week in could have been a much different story,” Johnson said. “I putted pretty good today.”

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Steve Stricker’s five-shot lead is now a two-shot deficit. Stricker made bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes, rookie Kyle Stanley made four birdies in a row and now is in front at 22 under. Stricker is 20 under.

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Steve Stricker had a 5-shot lead heading into the back nine at the John Deere Classic. Nine holes stand between Stricker and his third consecutive Deere title.

Stricker, who is 22 under par and 12 under for the day, would record a threepeat for the 21st time in PGA Tour history.

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Zach Johnson’s rise up the leaderboard at the John Deere Classic continues.

Johnson had four birdies in a front-nine 31, then added a fifth at the par-5 10th to go to 16 under par and a tie for third.

Johnson made birdie putts of 5 feet 6 inches  on No. 2; 11 feet 2 inches on No. 5; 17 feet from above the hole at the par-3 7th; 9 feet 10 inches on the 8th; and then 6 feet 2 inches on the 10th.

Steve Stricker made double bogey at the par-4 5th, ending his streak of 43 consecutive holes with par or better, but rebounded with a birdie at the 6th. He is 20 under par, where he started.

Brendan de Jonge, who started the final round in second, two shots back of Stricker, has a pair of double bogeys on the front nine and fallen out of contention.

Credit Unions for Kids Golf Outing at TPC Deere Run on August 8 ...

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with a registration starting at 7:30 a.m. There is still time to sign up as a golfer and sponsor. Registration deadline is August 1st. A $125 donation per person includes 18 holes of golf, cart, breakfast, beverages, door prizes, 1 mulligan, 3 feet of string and a catered dinner. There will be a silent auction, door prizes, a hole in one/win a car contest, 50/50 raffle and much more.

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