THE MODERATOR: Evening everyone. We're joined with our 2025 John Deere Classic winner, Brian Campbell. Brian, congrats on your second PGA TOUR victory and second this season. What was it like to get it done in a playoff again?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: You know, a little bit familiar from Mexico, but oh, man, just so over the moon to be in that position and to come back and finish it off.
A lot of nerves that's for sure, but I can't believe we're here. What a special event.
Q. First time you played here was on a sponsor's exemption; went to Illinois. What's it like to have a hometown feel crowd for the win?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: It's awesome. I've never had this much support at any golf tournament, and so I never knew it would be this awesome to feel the crowd out there and get it done in this fashion.
Q. Earlier you were talking about trusting the process. What has it been like after you captured your first victory and had a lull battling some illnesses, but to be back in the winner's circle so soon?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Yeah, it was definitely a challenge. After your first win I would say there is a lot of expectations that come about. Unfortunately I dealt with a lot of random sicknesses that hit me and pulled me out of a few tournaments I really wanted to play.
Even more so, I just really had to trust what I had been doing before, and, man, now we're here. It's just wild.
Q. I was talking to Kelsi about you being a poster child of perseverance. Talk about earning your card a decade ago, losing it in 2017, relegated to the Korn Ferry TOUR, the injuries, the illnesses, getting it back two years ago, winning thing year; what does it mean?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: It means everything. This is what we -- I've worked my entire life to be in this position, and unfortunately we had a couple years there where it wasn't looking so good.
You have to start thinking about am I going do something else. Maybe pro golf or this route is not going to work out. But it all -- it really was all second stage Q-School about two, three years ago. I made like a quintuple bogey on a par-3 and I thought my career was over in that moment.
That night just kind of had a self-talk with myself. Said, you know what, whatever happens is okay. Trust yourself. The next round I went out there and shot 8-under and got myself right back in there.
I guess I was like, maybe golf is not over for me. That moment was when everything changed.
Q. A lot of men have won one tournament; to win two tournaments, you've proven that Mexico was not some happenstance. You're also proved you're money in the playoffs and magic happens at the John Deere.
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Magic does happen at the John Deere. Man, I just can't think of all the shots. I mean, Spieth's hole-out from the bunker, Stricker's impossible 4-iron from the bunker to win for his third time.
I played with Zach Johnson Thursday and Friday, and it was awesome to talk about some of his shots he's had here. What a great guy.
So thrilled to be here. They put on such an amazing tournament here. Thanks.
Q. Where were you when Stricker made his incredible up and down from the bunker in 2011? What has his success here, how does that -- to join him as one of two Fighting Illini winners, what does that mean?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: I'm just so proud to be in the same conversation as Steve Stricker. I've looked up to him even before college started, let alone to go to the same college as him; to share a few conversations with him has been amazing.
But in 2011 I was just watching it on TV. The awe of this tournament, it really is spectacular. The finishing hole is one of the coolest finishing holes we play out here. A lot can happen. Birdies can be made. Tournaments can be won.
It's just so fun to be here.
Q. You were still in high school then? You were considering Illinois?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: That would've been -- I think I would've been graduating at that moment going to -- I think, yeah, I think I did know at that point, yeah.
Q. After you won in Mexico, the video of your girlfriend's reaction went viral. A lot of people loved that. What was the reaction like this time? Starting to get a little more used to it?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Definitely not. This is something I don't think you'll ever be completely used to. I know we were both shocked. Mexico was definitely a shock, and it was just so special that we were able to share that moment together.
Yeah, it just reliving it this week is pretty special.
Q. When you say you're shocked, are you not even really thinking about winning the golf tournament out there playing? Not even in your mind and you get to the end and you're like, wow, I won?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: I guess that's how I approach most weeks. There are things I can control and things I can't control. The best thing I can do is give myself as many looks as I can; I was doing that.
So I think there were definitely moments in the week where I was thinking about, hey, you know, this could be a special week. I don't know if I like to let myself get ahead of myself and think about winning all that much, but I know if we stick around and keep doing the right things that we're going to be there in the end.
Q. With the last few holes with the leaderboard being what it was, how do you keep yourself even keel and not getting ramped up during play?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: A lot of practice. I think practicing these moments of stress and where almost like you can't control your body, you to got really practice those.
And then drawing off a lot of confidence from past tournaments, like Mexico. It was a great test for me to kind of think back to those moments and try to apply them the best I could.
Q. You talked about the great fan support here, the Illinois connection. Does that spur you on or is it added pressure; just sort of enjoyed it?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: To start week I thought maybe it would add some pressure. I wasn't expecting anything crazy this week, but as the days went by we just kept having more supporters come out and more familiar faces.
To answer your question, yeah, definitely spurred me on. Definitely gave me confidence, and just thinking back to the college days really was awesome.
Q. Thinking of team play, any thoughts of the Ryder Cup bouncing through your head? Two-time winner this year.
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Well, I've had no thought about that whatsoever. I just know how much I love the Ryder Cup, and to let alone be in the same conversation as the Ryder Cup is wild.
So the best thing I can do is just keep working on what I'm doing and keep moving forward. I think we'll see what happens when that comes around.
Q. Talk about your time at Illinois. How did your time prepare you for pressure moments, dealing with adversity, things like that on the PGA TOUR?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Oh, yeah, that's exactly what Coach Small helps us to do, is prepare for those moments. We practice with our team. We are very competitive with our team, but it's also a very -- we care about each other very much and care about each other's success.
That mixed with the competitive vibe is really the special part of it.
Q. Did you hear the I-L-L chants out there this week?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: All week. Literally every day, yeah.
Q. Did you respond to them?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: I probably responded to maybe three to five per day. There was a lot, and sometimes I don't want to get in the way of some other player's shots or things like that.
But I got to say I loved the support. Keep yelling. Keep doing what you do out there. It really spurred me on and was awesome to hear.
Q. Earlier in the week you were talking about being back in Illinois, enjoying the weather conditions. Let the wind blow; I'm used to it. Did it feel like you were back at home, like you were down in Champaign this week?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: 100%. Even the humidity. Not saying I love it, but it put me back in the state of mind of the days I used to -- whether it was qualifying to get on to the team at college or just playing with coach and playing with the team.
I didn't expect it to rain off and on four or five times today, but, I mean, kudos to my caddie for keeping us in there.
Q. Was the weather a factor in the scores at the top of the board kind of coming back? I mean, there were a lot of low numbers early.
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Uh-huh.
Q. And yet 18-under is the lowest winning score here since Bryson DeChambeau.
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Yeah, I was expecting -- I had kind of a target in my head, maybe 19, 20, if I could get there.
I knew guys might be around there.
But then the weather came out of nowhere. When that happens it changes how soft or firm areas are. Your drives aren't going to go as far, too. The wind is switching all around when the rain showers come in.
It got really tricky in the end, and I think that's why everyone kind of hung around 17, 18. It was just a little tricky in the end there.
Q. Calling on your perseverance, 15 could have really taken you out of it. What was your mindset at that point? Just keep going?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Yeah, horrible feeling in the moment. Just made a bad swing. I think the humidity made me slip just a little bit, and I knew it was in the hazard from the start.
So I just kind of accepted it and I was like, you know what, we're still in this. There is a lot of holes left that I actually really like.
Just kind of was drawing on that confidence. Would've loved to save bogey there. Would've been a great bogey save. I knew we were still going to be with one or two shots with a few to play.
Going back to Mexico, you know, as soon as that ball bounced back in play I knew I was still in it and to not let up.
Q. Speaking of that, was finding the fairway pretty gratifying in the playoff? Was it like validating?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Oh, yeah. It was way better to be in the fairway. I was a little bit on the edge of a drain though is that didn't make things perfect, but just had to figure it out.
Q. Staying on the playoff hole, what did you hit into the green?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: 7-iron.
Q. Did you want to take that aggressive of a line or were you a little bit off on...
BRIAN CAMPBELL: It probably came off like a foot left of what I was excepting. I was on a severely ball-below-my-feet lie just because of the drainage. I was trying to counteract that a little bit, and I guess I overcorrected just a tiny bit.
But I gave myself room for that error, and I knew if I put a good swing on it that landing in the center of the green with that line was going to end up okay.
Q. You were never worried about going in the water then?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Oh, you're always worried about it going in the water. That's what golf is. No, I mean, just drawing on the confidence from this entire week, adjusting the swings you've made all week, and knowing you can make that swing with enough confidence.
Q. Statistically speaking, shortest driver on the PGA TOUR. What's the message to all the bombers out there who fell short?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: You know, I'm not going to tell them to hit it any shorter, that's for sure. I think they'll be just fine doing what they do. It just goes to show that there is so many different games out here and so many different ways to play the game.
There is not one way to get it done, and that was something that I proved to myself earlier this season, and it's paid off.
Q. How would you characterize your game? Thinking man's approach, making the most of those opportunities?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Yeah, I'm definitely a grinder. Ever since my junior golf days and college golf I've just loved to save par. I love having the moment to figure out any shot.
So definitely a grinder.
I pride myself on my putting, too, my ability to find the hole. And strategy. Definitely course management is something that's huge for me, thinking my way around course.
I'm not going to outdrive everybody. I'm not going to out ball strike everyone every week. I can do my best to outthink everybody.
Q. When is the party and how are you going to celebrate?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Oh, man, I think we're headed to Scotland tonight, so got to celebrate in Scotland I guess.
Q. You're on the charter?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Yes.
Q. Talk about your relationship with Cooper. He called you a fighter. Said you guys have had a really good relationship the last two and a half years. Just how important has he been for you the last couple years?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: He's been amazing. We linked up middle of the season on the Korn Ferry two and a half years ago. I just saw a guy who was young, eager, eager to learn and eager to have some fun, too.
You're going to have low points out here and high points, but I think finding someone who knows how to handle both of those very well is key.
Again, we're out here -- sometimes I'm with him more than I am with my girlfriend or family, so just having someone you love to be around and hang out with for a few hours a really crucial.
Q. He called you a fighter. He was getting emotional. To have someone believe in you that way, how important is that for you?
BRIAN CAMPBELL: It's huge. To have people in your corner that truly believe in you is almost more important than you believing in yourself.
You know, man, I just -- I'm so blessed to have the people around me, really.
THE MODERATOR: Brian, again, congratulations. Let's get you on that plane.
BRIAN CAMPBELL: Thank you so much, you guys.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports