John Deere Classic 2012: Players Who Will Give Fans a Sunday to Remember

Troy Matteson (-18) is carrying a three-stroke lead into Sunday's final round at the 2012 John Deere Classic, but that's not a big enough cushion to keep things from getting extremely interesting. 

There are 18 golfers withing seven shots of Matteson, and on a course that has allowed some very low scores, some of these guys are going to run down Matteson as the two-time Tour winner struggles with the pressure of the lead. 

All of this is going to make for an exciting Sunday, and here are the five golfers who will be right in the mix to win. 

Troy Matteson

Matteson is a two-time Tour winner, but wins haven't come recently. This season, his highest finish is tying for 26th, and he has missed the cut in 11-of-21 PGA events. 

So while he's doing well, there are plenty of reasons to think he will stumble on Sunday.

I expect Matteson to find some struggles on Sunday, but with a three-shot cushion, he will be right in the thick of the hunt as the tournament draws to a conclusion. 

Steve Stricker

Steve Stricker loves this tournament. He has won it three straight years, and he's only three strokes and one golfer back of making it a fourth. 

That would put him in some very esteemed golf company. Only Tom Morris Jr., Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen and Tiger Woods have won a tournament four straight times. 

Stricker is obviously very comfortable on this course, and he's playing solid golf. He's going to be paired with Matteson, and you can expect him to slowly reel in the leader. 

Zach Johnson

At 14 under par, Zach Johnson is tied for third place and ready to make a move. He's coming off rounds of 65 and 66 and shows no signs of slowing down. 

Johnson has struggled in his last PGA events, but he won the Crowne Plaza Invitational the time out before that stretch. 

Johnson has clearly ironed his game from his recent struggles, and he's in a great groove in this tournament. 

Billy Hurley III

If I had a dollar for every time I predicted Billy Hurley to compete for a title, I would have $1. 

Hurley turned pro in 2006. Since then, he has just one top-10 finish, which is his only top-25 finish. He has made the cut in just 10 of his 30 PGA events. Yet, here he is, tied for fifth at 13 under.

He's also on fire. He shot back-to-back 68s to open this tournament, and then, fired a 64 on Saturday, which was tied for the day's lowest score. 

This confidence will lead him to a big round on Sunday, as he will be supremely focused to not let this opportunity slip through his grasp. 

Ryan Moore

Moore is an insanely streaky golfer. He reminds me a bit of a young Phil Mickelson. He has all the tools; he just routinely undoes himself. 

He hasn't finished higher than 26 in any of his past five tournaments, but he was eighth or better in three of the four tournaments prior to that. 

He will have some serious work to do on Sunday if he wants to contend for the lead. He's tied for 13th at 11 under, but he can make up strokes in a hurry, and he will make some noise on Sunday.