Doug Ghim tees off on the 13th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. Ghim on July 3 opened with a 9-under 62 in a bid to become the latest first-time PGA Tour winner at the John Deere Classic. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
DAVENPORT, Iowa (Tribune News Service) — Volunteers and spectators removed their hats around 6:30 a.m. Friday, July 4, for a flag raising and national anthem performance at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill.
After the flag was raised about 25 feet, near the first tee, Andrew Lehman, John Deere Classic tournament director, spoke briefly before singer Deedee Kight performed the national anthem.
The fact that Folds of Honor Friday landed on Independence Day made the ceremony particularly special, Lehman said.
“We’re branding this as America’s tournament,” Lehman said in the later interview with the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus.
Around 80 spectators, mostly volunteers already at the tournament, watched the early-morning ceremony.
During the speech, Lehman thanked the five sponsors for Folds of Honor Friday— Amazon Web Services, Lowe’s, John Deere, Modern Woodmen and COUNTRY Financial. With the support, Folds of Honor Friday offered complimentary admission, also called the “Military Appreciation Program,” for active or retired military members and one guest.
This year was the largest year for program, with more than $75,000 in complimentary tickets offered to military members and their guests, Lehman said.
Also significant this year, the tournament also held its first-ever flyover around noon, with three members of the Iowa National Guard’s B/171 Aviation Regiment flying U.S. Army CH-47 chinook helicopters across the field.
Throughout the day, the tournament distributed Folds of Honor pins and ribbons at the entrance and encouraged visitors to wear red, white and blue. The tournament also erected a “Patriot’s Outpost” adorned in red, white and blue decor between tees 15 and 17. The post had five flags representing each branch of the U.S. Military.
Golf is the only sport where the national anthem does not begin each tournament, Lehman said. Folds of Honor Friday is the one time at the John Deere Classic when a performer sings the national anthem before the first plays begins just before 7 a.m.
In 2024, Folds of Honor delivered 18 scholarships of $5,000 each to the children of fallen soldiers, Lehman said during the morning flag-raising. This year, the nonprofit plans to deliver the same number of scholarships, though the recipients will be announced in the fall, Lehman said.
The number of scholarships was chosen to represent the 18 tees in golf, but also draws significance from the 13 folds when handling the U.S. flag, Lehman said.
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