Major Golf Tournament In Illinois Breaks New Charity Record

It feels like it happens every year. Once again, this popular golf tournament in Illinois has broken its own record for money raised to give to multiple charities.

With this record broken, the tournament remains the number one tournament in per capita contributions on the regular PGA TOUR, a distinction it has held for more than a decade.

Congrats to the John Deere Classic and its Birdies for Charity program on breaking its own record again, and contributing to hundreds of charities right here in the Quad Cities.

John Deere Classic Breaks Charity Record

The 2024 John Deere Classic helped raise a record $15,976,574.68 million via its Birdies for Charity program and will pay an 8% bonus to its 476 participating charities, tournament officials announced Thursday at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline.

This year’s total exceeds by $1,873,741 the previous record of $14,102,833 set in 2023.

The total number of charity dollars raised by the tournament since it was founded in 1971 is $189,652,123.66 million, more than 99 percent of which has been raised since John Deere assumed title sponsorship in 1998.

JDC tournament director Andrew Lehman said,

“The John Deere Classic is proud of and grateful for the record charity numbers the tournament helped generate this year. It couldn’t have happened without the steadfast support of John Deere, our sponsors and volunteers and, of course, our fans. The tremendous spirit that drives our tournament to new heights every year is based in the knowledge that everyone’s working for the charities that benefit our community.”

Smart Lexus of Quad Cities Donates 2-Year Lease to a Lucky Winner

Meanwhile, the annual contest for a donor to guess the exact number of birdies recorded at the tournament and win a two-year lease on a car from the Grand Prize Sponsor, Smart Lexus of Quad Cities, produced one finalist, who correctly guessed 2,315 birdies. The Official Transportation Sponsor of the John Deere Classic, Smart Lexus of Quad Cities annually provides courtesy cars to John Deere Classic contestants.

The $15.9 million total works out to $42.60 for each of the Quad Cities’ 375,000 residents, again making the John Deere Classic the No. 1 in per capita contributions on the regular PGA TOUR, a distinction it has held for more than a decade.

The total amount donated to the charities is the result of a three-pronged fundraising effort:

• The tournament’s Birdies for Charity program enables individuals, companies, and foundations to pledge a lump sum donation to a charity or charities of their choice.
• Because John Deere underwrites the administrative costs of the Birdies program, 100 percent of each Birdies pledge collected goes directly to the designated charities to be used at their organization. They pay no administrative costs to Birdies for Charity.
• The Bonus Fund consists of tournament revenues, direct donations, a John Deere matching grant, as well as proceeds from special events.

Davis Thompson, 25, shot a tournament record 28-under par to win the 2024 John Deere Classic by four shots. He was the 24th first-time winner of the 53rd version of the Quad Cities-based PGA Tour event.