The John Deere Classic means big crowds, national attention and big money for the Quad Cities area. The first round is underway at the TPC at Deere Run and tournament director Clair Peterson says the event brings in between 20 and 25 million dollars to the area.
Peterson says they are a non-profit organization with the main mission of raising money for charity and improving the quality of life in the region. "And we feel we do both very well," Peterson says. Peterson says a number of different charities benefit from the tournament.
He says they generate $4.7 million last year for over 500 regional charities, which he says puts them number one per capita on the PGA Tour and sixth overall for all 46 tournaments.
The tournament runs through Sunday.