SILVIS, Ill. – What happens when six PGA Tour players stay in a house together for a tournament week? Cards are played, bets are made, trash is talked and at the end of the week, one player wins the tournament.
At least that’s how it went at last year’s John Deere Classic. J.T. Poston passed on the hotel and stayed in a large house with Patton Kizzire, Greyson Sigg, Denny McCarthy, Brendon Todd and Ben Kohles, and the majority of the gang are running it back this year at the 2023 John Deere Classic.
“Yes, we have the same house,” said Poston ahead of his title defense. Kizzire, Sigg and McCarthy are back for more action in the PGA Tour fraternity house, with the additions of Chris Kirk and Sepp Straka to replace Todd and Kohles. “A lot of us were in the house last year, and so we jumped on it and got the same one again. A lot of cards and having fun back at the house after the rounds.”
Although all six are competing against one another, the house creates a similar vibe similar to college golf. Even though they’re not on the same team, there’s something to be said for coming home and sharing stories of the round and pulling for your friends. Three of the six players went to the University of Georgia, and four of the six reside in the Peach State, with three calling Sea Island home.
“A handful of us will stay together all the time in Airbnb’s. Rarely do we get one that’s big enough for all of us to hop in and where all of us are playing the same week, so this is kind of unique in that sense where it’s a lot of fun,” explained Poston. “We do that a lot. I mean, the hotels can get old pretty fast, so try to mix it up with some Airbnb’s and house rentals.”
There’s a scorecard for the card games, and of course some cash is exchanging hands, but money isn’t the goal for the games.
“We have some fun with it. It’s more bragging rights with that crowd because we play and hang out all the time, so it’s more just trying to beat your buddy than it is seeing how much money you can win,” said Poston, who noted that Kizzire has the early lead one night in.
Speaking of money, after earning his second PGA Tour victory, Poston picked up the bill for the house much to the joy of his housemates for the week, and he’s hoping to do so once again this year.