MOLINE, Ill. — The John Deere Classic golf tournament will continue its "Concert on the Course" series for the next three tournaments, according to a press conference held Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Tournament director Andrew Lehman made the announcement during the Birdies for Charity total reveal at the John Deere Pavilion on Tuesday morning. After the success of the 2023 series, John Deere Classic officials decided to carry on the new tradition.
The tournament and title sponsor John Deere have agreed to the company sponsoring musical artists to perform on the TPC Deere Run course on Friday and Saturday of tournament week.
In 2023, country music stars Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton performed on Friday and Saturday evenings, respectively. Thousands of fans packed the area around the 18th green to enjoy the shows.
Also at the press conference on Tuesday, the John Deere Classic announced that a record $14,102,833 was raised for Quad Cities non-profits through Birdies for Charity. John Deere also said it will pay a 7.5% bonus to the 478 participating charities.
This year's total exceeds 2022's previous record total by $194,165.
"We are thankful to our John Deere, other corporate partners, individual donors and local family foundations for their ongoing generosity and support of Birdies for Charity," Lehman said. "John Deere's reputation for its commitment to corporate citizenship is widely known and the company's support for the tournament and our charity is fundamental to their success."
The $14.1 million total works out to $37.60 for each of the Quad Cities' 375,000 residents, making the John Deere Classic number one in per capita contributions on the regular PGA tour, a distinction it has held for more than a decade.