Zac Blair's long wait for a PGA Tour win could end when he needs it most
Jul 4, 2026; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Zac Blair hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
Jul 4, 2026; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Zac Blair hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
More than a decade into his professional career, Zac Blair is once again within striking distance of the PGA Tour victory that has long eluded him.
The 35-year-old heads into Sunday's final round at TPC Deere Run with a chance to turn one of the best weeks of his career into a breakthrough win.
“Every start is important,” Blair said. “Just trying to do a good job of playing well, whichever kind of tour I'm playing on. It's still golf at the end of the day, which is fun.”
Jul 4, 2026; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Zac Blair hits his approach shot on the 1st hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
Jul 4, 2026; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Zac Blair hits his approach shot on the 1st hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
Blair’s best finish on the PGA Tour was a tie for 2nd place at the 2023 Travelers Championship, as reported by GolfDigest.
Although Blair won the Ellie Mae Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019, he has failed to make an impact on the PGA Tour, finishing in the top 90 of the points list only once.
Blair, alongside Lucas Glover, took the early lead on Thursday and remained in the mix after Saturday's round.
“Just barely missed a bunch of putts,” Blair said. “Had a few bad tee balls that put me kind of behind the 8-ball a little bit. You know, it was a good day all in all.”
Blair put up a dominant performance on the front nine on Saturday. He carded an eagle on the second hole and added four birdies after that. However, a double bogey at No. 11 and a bogey on the final hole slowed him down.
With rounds of 63, 68, and 67, Blair is tied for 3rd heading into Sunday's play, behind fellow Americans Lucas Glover and Lee Hodges.
What Glover and Hodges said after the third round
Like Blair, Glover and Hodges are also desperate for a win. At 16-under, both share the lead at the John Deere Classic.
“Other tournaments, courses, whatever, or even here, first couple of days on the green weren't this soft,” Glover said in the same interview. “Might have played a little conservative. They're not going to be that tomorrow."
Glover's most recent win came in 2023, and he has registered just two top-25 finishes this year. He already won the John Deere Classic in 2021.
Hodges, on the other hand, has won just once on the PGA Tour, the 3M Open in 2023.
“Tomorrow will be a little more fun,” Hodges said. “I get to go attack and just beat people. Yeah, I'm just going to keep my pedal down and just shoot lower than anybody tomorrow.”
He’ll be on the lookout for his second title on Sunday.
Who do you think will win the 2026 John Deere Classic? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Follow Club Golf for more.
Written by
Avishek Sarkar
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav