The John Deere Classic Round 2 brought more low scores and some heartbreak. With perfect conditions, most players went low. Only four players above the cut failed to break par on Friday. The cut line settled at -5, which is high even by PGA Tour standards. But fans know this course demands red numbers. In the last ten editions, winners have gone over 20-under par eight times.

Davis Thompson Eyes Repeat

Defending champion Davis Thompson put on a show. He fired eight birdies—four on each nine—for a 63. That moved him to -11, just one shot off the lead. He’s in a strong position to defend his title. Last year, he won by four strokes, finishing at 28-under.

Notables Making Moves

Michael Thorbjornsen, runner-up last year, bounced back from a slow opening round with a 65. At -7, he’s T21 and five shots back. Lucas Glover, a past champion, also found form. After opening with a 72, he responded with a 64, jumping to -7. Amateur Jackson Koivun impressed with a 64. He’s now -8 at the halfway mark.

Last week’s winner Aldrich Potgieter continued his strong play. With rounds of 67 and 66, he sits at -9, T13. Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas also impressed. Grillo is at -11, while Villegas sits one shot back at -10 alongside Si Woo Kim and Cameron Champ.

Max Homa followed his opening 63 with a steady 68. He’s now -11 and T2. Round 1 leader Doug Ghim stayed solid. His 68 on Friday kept him at the top, holding a one-shot lead. Ghim is leading at 12 under par.

The Cut Drama

Several big names missed out. Tom Kim shot a strong 66 on Friday but finished at -4—one shot outside the cut. Ben Griffin had a rough finish. At -6 with two holes left, he collapsed. A bogey on 8 after finding the bunker and a disastrous double bogey on 9 ended his run. His swing looked off and fatigued.

Jason Day, Luke Clanton, Dylan Frittelli, J. T. Poston, Thorbjørn Olesen, Nico Echavarria, and Sungjae Im also missed the cut. All finished at -4 or worse.

Want to see where your favorite players stand? Click here to view the full John Deere Classic Round 2 leaderboard.

What to Expect on Moving Day

Saturday at the John Deere Classic Round 2 promises fireworks. It’s moving day, and birdies will be the theme. The PGA Tour field is packed and aggressive. Expect the lead to stretch to 16 or 17 under by day’s end.