Round 4 Notebook: John Deere Classic

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Weather : Partly cloudy with an afternoon high of 86 degrees. Winds SSW 10-15 mph.

Steve Stricker
• Steve Stricker shot a 26-under 258 to successfully defend his John Deere Classic title by two shots over Paul Goydos. It is the first time Stricker has successfully defended a title on TOUR.

• Steve Stricker recorded 31 birdies this week, which ties him for second on the all-time list for birdies in a 72-hole tournament:

• Steve Stricker has now converted his last three 54-hole leads/co-leads into victory (2009 Deutsche Bank Championship, 2010 Northern Trust Open and 2010 John Deere Classic).

• Steve Stricker recorded 31 birdies, 36 pars and 5 bogeys this week.

• Steve Stricker's six stroke 54-hole lead at the Northern Trust Open and here at the John Deere Classic are the largest on TOUR this season.

• Steve Stricker surpassed David Frost's 72-hole tournament record of 259 set in 1993.

• Steve Stricker records his first back-to-back multiple-win seasons on TOUR. Stricker had three wins in 2009.

Paul Goydos
• Paul Goydos has recorded one second-place finish in each of the last three years. It is his sixth career runner up finish.

• Paul Goydos had missed his previous two cuts coming into this week.

Shaun Micheel
• Shaun Micheel (4th ) claims his third top-10 finish of the season, after not recording a single top 10 in 2008 and 2009. His career best is four top 10s in 2003.

• Shaun Micheel (69-66-63-67) posted four rounds in the 60s in the same tournament for the first time since the 2005 Southern Farm Bureau Classic (T5).

Miscellaneous Notes
• Rocco Mediate (T15), who has 11 missed cuts in 17 starts, recorded his first top-25 finish of the season. Mediate has now recorded at least one top 25 every season on TOUR since 1986.

• Since 1990, only five players have won the John Deere Classic after recording a round in the 70s, including the last three (1992-David Frost, 2000-Michael Clark II, 2008-Kenny Perry, 2009-Steve Stricker and 2010 Steve Stricker).

• After this week, Chris Couch will have four events remaining to make $41,392 and earn Major Medical Extension status for the remainder of the season.

• There have now been five wins by players in their 40s this season on TOUR (Steve Stricker-2, Cameron Beckman and Ernie Els-2). There were nine last season and nine in 2008.

• With his second-place finish Paul Goydos earned a spot in the British Open next week. Following is an explanation of the exemption: the leading player, not otherwise exempt, among the top 5 finishers and ties at the John Deere Classic will be exempt for the British Open. Steve Stricker was exempt prior to the John Deere Classic.