The 2017 John Deere Classic is the PGA Tour's final stop before the British Open next week, so many of the world's top players are off preparing for the year's third major tournament.
Charles Howell III and Ollie Schniederjans were happy to take advantage of the lack of elite competition, tying for the first-round lead at eight-under par. They hold a two-stroke advantage over a quartet of players that includes Rory Sabbatini, Zach Johnson, Chad Campbell and Patrick Rodgers.
Here's the full leaderboard after Thursday's action from TPC Deere Run in Illinois:
Howell climbed to the top of the leaderboard early in the day with a masterful bogey-free 63.