Two University of Iowa teammates Steven Ihm and Raymond Knoll are making their way out to Deere Run to play in the 2014 John Deere Classic.
This is the first PGA event as professionals that the golfers will play in. Ihm was already scheduled to play, but on Monday, July 7 Knoll competed in a qualifier in a field of about 70 golfers at Pinnacle Country Club in Milan. He was one of four who qualified for the John Deere Classic.
Both players had the opportunity to play a practice round with Jordan Spieth.
Knoll said he was having the time of his life and that he was “trying to soak it all in.”
“This world is unbelievable,” said Knoll. “I was on the chipping green… people are treating you like royalty… something I would have never expected.”
Knoll’s mother Beth Knoll said she hopes her son has fun at the tournament. As he played a practice round with Spieth, she said she wants her son to “take a little bit of his knowledge and continue to grow and get better.”
Ihm will tee off at 2:15 Thursday with his group Marc Turnesa and Paul Stankowski. Knoll will tee off at 2:15 as well with his group Jamie Lovemark and Patrick Cantlay.