'A Game of Failure': PGA Tour Pro Sums Up Golf's Brutal Reality at John Deere Classic

PGA Tour pro Lee Hodges opened the 2026 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run with a bogey-free 7-under-64, his best round of the year, moving him into early contention. The performance marked a positive turnaround after a difficult stretch of roughly 18 months that included numerous missed cuts and frustration. Hodges acknowledged the mental toll the poor run had taken on his enjoyment of the game.