Clinton Keefauver and Brian Alley waited just outside the ropes of the 18th hole green, flags and markers clutched in their hands. Both had traveled to the John Deere Classic in search of signatures to add to their collection — one keeping to a yearly tradition and the other visiting the course for the first time.Â
Keefauver had been chasing the shade and golf pros all day, hoping to fill up his flag. He's attended the classic for several years and during the pro-am had managed to get around 50 signatures on his flag, along with a few selfies.Â
"My big thing is to come to the practice rounds," Keefauver said. "I love it. I love how you can interact with the golfers, and they're all real nice."Â
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His living room in Washburn, Ill., is filled with golf flags and other memorabilia from all over the country. He has an autograph from Tiger Woods and a picture with Jordan Spieth, who had previously won the John Deere Classic.Â
Alley keeps his memorabilia in his basement, rather than his living room. The Carmel, Ind., resident also collects autographs and other items, and not just from golf.Â
This year was the first time Alley was able to make the five-hour drive to the classic, but his family has long had Deere connections. His grandfather — the man who first cultivated Alley's love of the sport — lived on a golf course and designed tractors for John Deere before his retirement.Â
Alley's grandfather died a few months ago, he said, and it was fitting that he was able to come out to the John Deere Classic this year.Â
"It's weird that I've never been up here, been to the course or anything, you know, even when he was alive, but it's nice to be here this week," Alley said.Â
Family also got Keefauver into golf, specifically his dad and uncle. They were avid golfers, he said, and once Keefauver entered junior high, he began to play as well. He eventually coached golf. Alley and Keefauver both have nephews whom they share the sport with.Â
Both men beat the classic crowds, which began streaming onto the TPC Deere Run on Thursday without restrictions for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.Â
As a fan who has traveled far and wide to reach golf tournaments, Keefauver said the past couple of seasons have been kind of a bummer. He came to the classic last year but wasn't able to interact with players at all, and even watching tournaments on TV wasn't the same, since there were rarely many fans to provide encouragement and reactions.Â
Now that he's able to fully enjoy the game again, Keefauver planned to soak it up as much as possible.Â
"To me, it's just a way to get out and enjoy what I like to do," Keefauver said.Â
