The PGA TOUR returns to the Philadelphia area this week for the Truist Championship, held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The event serves as a one-week location change, with Quail Hollow Club scheduled to host the PGA Championship next week. This week marks the first time in three years the tour plays in the region and the first time the Philadelphia Cricket Club hosts the PGA TOUR.
The Wissahickon course at the Philadelphia Cricket Club is the host venue. This A.W. Tillinghast design from 1922 underwent a restoration in 2014. While unfamiliar to many current tour players and the global golf audience, the club has a history of hosting tournaments, including two U.S. Opens on its original St. Martins course more than a century ago. The Wissahickon course previously hosted events like the PGA Professional Championship, Constellation Senior Players, and the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.
Players face challenges throughout the course, particularly on key shots. The par-3 8th hole, a redan, tests players with a long iron or fairway wood tee shot aimed to use the green's pitch. The par-4 10th and 17th holes demand precise tee shots, with the 10th requiring a right-to-left shape to avoid bunkers and bending fairway, and the 17th presenting a narrow corridor between hazards and a historic railroad trestle. Approaches on holes like the par-4 11th, with its severe, tiered green, and the par-5 15th, requiring carry over a "Great Hazard" to reach in two, also play a central role in scoring.
Expert picks for the Truist Championship highlight players like Russell Henley, Keith Mitchell, Keegan Bradley, Min Woo Lee, Viktor Hovland, and Daniel Berger. Henley is noted for his birdie average and early 2025 success. Mitchell shows consistent finishes and strong off-the-tee play. Bradley, a past winner in Philadelphia, is playing well this season. Hovland and Berger have shown strong results in recent events.
Many competitors this week are also expected to play in the upcoming PGA Championship. The field for the second men's major of the year at Quail Hollow Club includes players such as Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, and Jordan Spieth. Tiger Woods has officially been ruled out of the major as he continues recovery from injury.
Fantasy golf enthusiasts and bettors are analyzing player forms and course fit for the Truist Championship. Experts are advising fantasy players on roster construction and captain picks for the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf game. Betting markets are open for outright winners and various prop bets, considering player performance metrics and the unfamiliar course layout. Power rankings offer further insight into player potential for the week.
The Truist Championship provides a unique test on the Wissahickon course ahead of the season's second major.
