By Greg Robertson
ESPN Golf Online
Monday, July 31

Details
When	Thursday-Sunday
Course	TPC at Deere Run, Silvis, Ill.
Par/Yardage	Par 71; 7,177 yards
Purse	$2.6 million (Winner: $468,000)
1999 champion	J.L. Lewis
Tournament record	21-under 259 (David Frost, 1989)
Television	Thursday-Friday: 3:30-6 p.m. ET (TGC) Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. ET (CBS)

The tournament

	Hole by hole
	Hole	Par	Yards
	1	4	391
	2	5	559
	3	3	194
	4	4	450
	5	4	435
	6	4	367
	7	3	223
	8	4	424
	9	4	485
	Out	35	3528
	10	5	596
	11	4	435
	12	3	213
	13	4	405
	14	4	358
	15	4	465
	16	3	159
	17	5	548
	18	4	470
	In	36	3649
	Total	71	7177
	Key holes: Nos. 15 and 16 could hold the key to the tournament. The 15th is considered the toughest hole on the back nine, a long, narrow par-4 where the drive better be straight. No. 16 is the shortest hole on the course, but filled with danger. It sits on a bluff and features a ravine in front, bunker to the right and water to the left. Pin placements will determine how daring players will be.

It's a new era for the John Deere Classic.

After 25 years at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Ill., the tournament has a new location this season. The brand new TPC at Deere Run makes its PGA Tour debut, and one of the tournament's best career players should have an advantage.

D.A. Weibring, a three-time winner of the tournament, had a key role in the design of the new course. And at 47, Weibring could use every advantage he can get. The five-time winner's last win came in Hartford in 1996.

His new course is long and narrow, and how it scores will be discovered this week. But it won't come from the top players on the tour.

On the heels of the British Open, most of the top players are taking the week off. David Toms, fresh off a tie for fourth at St. Andrews, Jeff Sluman, John Daly and Kirk Triplett are the biggest names in the field.

Last year, the tournament was held the same week of the British Open, and it produced a first-time winner in J.L. Lewis, who held off Mike Brisky with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole. Both had finished 19-under at Oakwood, three better than Triplett and Brian Henninger.

The win carried Lewis to 66th on the money list and his first victory since turning pro in 1984.

Most of the name players will be back on tour in the coming weeks as they prepare for the year's final major, the PGA Championship, in August. The International and its Stableford scoring system is next up, followed by the Buick Open as the final tuneup for the PGA.

A dozen players to watch
Stephen Ames: Ames has contended on a few occassions this year and shot a 61 at Doral. He tied for 15th in his last start at the Western Open, another Illinois venue.

Fred Funk: Funk is still looking to find his game this year, but the summer is when he usually heats up. Dedere appears to be a narrow course, and that should benefit the straight driving Funk.

Bill Glasson: The veteran is on quite a streak of late, capped by his tie for third last week at the B.C. Open. He has played his last 21 rounds at par or better, with two top-10s and five top-20 finishes during the stretch.

Mathew Goggin: After struggling all season during his rookie year, Goggin has found his game the past two weeks. He tied for third in Milwaukee, then finished ninth last week at the B.C. Open.

Brian Henninger: Henninger tied for sixth at the Western Open after taking a lead into the final round. He tied for third in this event last year

Tim Herron: The year has been a complete disappointment for Herron, who was coming off his best season in 1999. His game showed some life at Hartford, where he tied for 15th before missing the cut at St. Andrews.

J.L. Lewis: Lewis gets to defend a title for the first time as a professional, but it comes on a different course. He tied for third at the Bob Hope early in the year for one of his few good finishes this year.

Jeff Sluman: Sluman has been playing solid golf this year, just not over four rounds. Three good rounds seem to get offset by a mediocre effort, keeping him out of contention. But the Illinois native should be happy in his home state.

Kevin Sutherland: A player who seems destined to break through an get his first victory soon. He has three top-10 finishes this year and has played his last eight rounds under par, including the odd 71-71-71-71 at the Western Open.

David Toms: The 1997 champion of this event will be riding a high after his tie for fourth at St. Andrews. Whether that carries over to this tournament or whether he left his game in Scotland is the question this week.

Kirk Triplett: Triplett is having a career season, standing 12th on the money list with his first career win and seven top-10 finishes. Like Toms, he's playing after a week at the Old Course, where he made the cut but finished well back. He tied for third in this event last year.

D.A. Weibring: A three-time champion of this event, Weibring is the designer of the new course. And like all designers, there should be some tricks on the course that only Weibring knows about. Whether he can execute is the question, but he certainly will feel at home.