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BY: RORY SPEARS

2012 Champion and John Deere Classic board member Zach Johnson came out of the blocks making birdies and sits a top the leader board with Rory Sabbatini and Brian Harman coming out of the morning session of round one.

Johnson birdied 8 of the first 11 holes and set the gallery a buzz and had them thinking a 59. But after 11 all Johnson could do was make par’s coming in. Johnson admitted to the media after his round that shooting 59 isn’t all that important to him, and that he would rather win 59 tournaments instead.

The key to round one was his wedge play said Johnson, who admitted he really didn’t do anything special in the pro-am on Wednesday. Tempo was also key, as Johnson admitted to working on his pace of play.

Sabbatini got the putter going early after he saw Johnson’s quick start he told the media after his round. Sabbatini made birdies on four of the first seven holes. He made four birdies on the back nine and completed round one bogey free.

“The key at this golf course is getting to the green and then making some putts,” said Sabbitini. He is just hoping to do more of the same over the next three days.

Harman started a little slower on the front nine, but lit it up on the back nine with six birdies. He ended up with only two pars on the back nine since he carded one bogey as well.

“I had a great day,” said Harman. “It was a lot of fun. I hadn’t played well the last two weeks, so it was nice to get off to a good start.”

Harman drove home all eight hours after missing the cut at the Greenbrier last week and worked on a few things and got refreshed. He came into the Deere ready to go. Harman had to make a caddie change after seven holes into the round when his caddie Scott Tway got sick. So a local golf coach who was in the gallery stepped in and finished the round on the bag. Tway is expected to be back on the bag for round two.

Former British Open Champion (2004) and Illinois native Todd Hamilton was a surprise visitor in the press room. Hamilton went out and shot a 7 under par 64 and sits one shot of the lead. Hamilton has been mostly playing the Web.com tour and had not been in the media room in a while. But he switched to a new Titleist Scotty Cameron Putter earlier this week and started making some putts.

Hamilton said after his round that he plays plenty of golf and plays well at his home club but has had trouble in recent years taking that game to the golf course. In round one he made it work, can he keep it going is the question.

Three time champion Steve Stricker opened with a 3 under par 68. Stricker said he left himself in the wrong place on several greens, but thinks he can post a good score in round two. He is tied for 24th place.

Round one was a tough one for defending champion Jordan Spieth. Spieth was two over par and sitting in 106th place after 11 holes, but he rallied with two late birdies to get back to even par and sits tied for 81st place. Spieth says it’s where he was after round one last year as well.

The field is one player short after a late withdrawal by Patrick Cantley who is suffering with back issues. No other player on the waiting list was here and ready to jump into the field.

Three players are one shot off the lead at 7 under par, four players are two shots back at 6 under par.

Click here to hear interviews with Zach Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Steve Stricker.

Round two tee’s off at 7 Am local time (CST).