'Son of the soil' Oosthuizen gets full Deere treatment

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Louis Oosthuizen is getting a British Open tuneup at the John Deere Classic, but is also enjoying the full John Deere experience.

Many times a major champion will take the week off prior to a title defense, show up at the venue in advance and spend the week in preparation. It makes sense for some players, who prefer to practice specific shots they'll need and who want to get a feel for the place before putting their title on the line.

Such strategy never really entered the thinking of reigning British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. He'll show up at Royal St. George's on Sunday night and begin the process of defending the Claret Jug on Monday. In the meantime he's going green. Not in the environmental sense, but in terms of the iconic shade of green that's become synonymous with John Deere equipment.

Oosthuizen is staying stateside this week to play in the John Deere Classic. It's the realization of a dream for a son of the soil from South Africa. Oosthuizen was born and raised on his family's farm in Mossel Bay, a town on the Southern Cape that's bordered by the Indian Ocean. Oosthuizen used John Deere equipment every day when he was a boy and has developed a strong emotional bond with the company.

So when Oosthuizen received the offer to play the John Deere Classic and be one of the event's honored guests, he didn't hesitate for long. It would be akin to a boy with dreams of being a professional baseball player being asked to be a guest of Rawlings for a week or a girl with dreams of becoming a model being courted by Cover Girl. Oosthuizen is a John Deere man. The sponsors didn't have to beg, either. They had him at "tractor."

That became evident last year when Oosthuizen won the Claret Jug at St. Andrews. He immediately spent a portion of his earnings on a John Deere 6000 Series tractor to use on his own small farm. His only stipulation was that the rig had enough room for his young daughter Jana, who will be 2 in December. Oosthuizen wanted a work tractor, not just transportation for his cattle farm. And, it had to "Run Like a Deere."

"I believe if you've got a tractor it has to be green," Oosthuizen said.

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Such brand loyalty was at the core of Oosthuizen's decision to endure a 36-hour delay-filled flight from South Africa to East Moline, Ill., for this week's John Deere Classic. It was the culmination of a solid recruiting effort by Deere officials, who first met with Oosthuizen at the Shell Houston Open in April. Oosthuizen volunteered a piece of information: he was looking for a gap in his playing schedule that would allow him to volunteer at Deere headquarters.

"Have I got a deal for you," said tournament director Clair Peterson.

It all came together on Tuesday when Oosthuizen got a personal tour -- the "gold key treatment -- of the Deere facilities. He arrived 40 minutes early for his private tour of the factory and stayed an hour longer than scheduled. He managed to see and do everything, even taking one of the monster combines for a spin. One of the company's public relations representatives told the Quad City Times that Oosthuizen "was in places I'd never seen."

Oosthuizen's verdict: "I've got to get a bigger farm."

No doubt some slick-talking salesman is taking notes. "Mr. Oosthuizen, what's it going to take for me to put you behind the wheel of that grain harvester today?"

On Sunday night he's jumping off the tiller and onto the special trans-Atlantic shuttle that the sponsor has arranged to deliver players to Royal St. George's. Until then he'll spend this week trying to get his game in shape for a title defense. He is encouraged by a tie for ninth at the U.S. Open.

"I feel a bit better than where I was last year at this time," Ooosthuizen said. "I missed a few cuts going to the Open and just everything fell together that week. I had a good U.S. Open, played really well there, and it gave me a bit of confidence. It's going to be a big week for me to give the jug away, but hopefully I can take it back on Sunday."

Until then his dreams will be a little crowded. Seems there's this little 7R Series beauty that he can't quite get out of his mind.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.