SILVIS, Ill. — Two weeks out from the John Deere Classic, it's a course under construction out at TPC Deere Run, where crews are hard at work getting the greens ready for thousands of expected visitors.
Before the golfers can hit the links, workers must finish building bleachers and viewing venues. What's already a demanding process has been intensified this year due to labor shortages and supply chain issues.
The 2022 John Deere Classic kicks off early this year, beginning Monday, June 27.
Tournament Director Andrew Lehman says a week of storms followed by a week of sweltering temperatures will further complicate building plans, but he's confident the course will be ready to go for this year's golf tournament.
"We've got a big two weeks ahead of us. We've got a lot of new crews here, there's a shortage of workers, there's a shortage of trucking across the country, so we're in a little bit of a condensed timeframe," Lehman said. "But we know that when we get to June 27 it'll be show-ready. And we're so excited to welcome all the Quad City fans out here."
So far, skeletal structures have popped up across the greens. Some will be transformed into fan favorites, including an air-conditioned venue overlooking the 18th hole and the return of public bleacher seating on holes five, nine and 18.
Crews have already pulled all the electrical lines and the phone lines are out, Lehman said.
"Really this last two weeks is the final push and it goes from looking like a construction zone to what it looks like tournament week and it's always fun to see that transition of making it look so beautiful," Lehman said.
Tickets are still on sale for the tournament although private hospitality tickets are now sold out. You can purchase your own pass here.
The tournament is also still in need of volunteers. Right now, Lehman estimates nearly 1,600 of the 1,800 necessary roles have already been filled and now organizers are making one final push for more helpers. You can sign up or learn more here.