First Look at the Truist Championship: Rory Returns, Philly Golf Gets the Spotlight

Truist Championship – It’s not every day the PGA TOUR shows up at a new venue—especially one that predates the invention of bubble wrap and the cheesesteak.

This week’s Truist Championship is ditching its usual home at Quail Hollow and taking a detour to The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course, a vintage A.W. Tillinghast design with teeth, character, and 118 bunkers ready to ruin your Sunday.

Welcome to the sixth Signature Event of the season, and welcome back, Rory McIlroy. The Liberty Line, along with our golf-focused website Better Rounds will be roaming the grounds at the Philly Cricket Club all week long. Stay up-to-date on everything on Better Rounds.

Fresh off his Masters win—and now rocking a full career Grand Slam—Rory is making his first solo start since Augusta. He and Shane Lowry finished T12 at the Zurich Classic, but now it’s back to business. McIlroy is a four-time winner of this event and has already notched three wins in 2025. The man is flying.

Truist Championship Field Revealed: Rory McIlroy returns, Scottie Scheffler staying home

Field Notes: Stack It Up

McIlroy headlines a loaded 72-man field. Every player ranked No. 2 through No. 11 in the world is here, with one glaring absence—World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who’s sitting this one out to prep for next week’s PGA Championship. Scheffler did the same thing before the Masters. It worked.

Xander Schauffele, who finished runner-up to Rory last year, is starting to find form again. He’s gone T12-T8-T18 in his last three starts. Justin Thomas rolls in with momentum after his win at the RBC Heritage, his first since 2022. He won that with Joe Greiner on the bag—Greiner, who was recently let go by Max Homa, now moves to Collin Morikawa’s bag starting this week. Morikawa has three top 10s in 2025 but missed the cut in New Orleans.

Jordan Spieth is on his fifth start in as many weeks and just finished fourth at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Rickie Fowler returns after a few weeks off, and Gary Woodland is also in the field after withdrawing last week.

Signature Event Storylines: A Pathway Opens

With Signature Events come pathways for newcomers. Erik van Rooyen punched his ticket via a solo second at THE CJ CUP. Sam Stevens (T3), Michael Thorbjornsen (T4 in Zurich, T2 at Corales), and Garrick Higgo (Corales champ) round out the Aon Swing 5. Rasmus Højgaard barely edged out his twin brother Nicolai for the final spot. Shoutout to sibling rivalry.

Who’s In? Meet the Players Who Qualified for the Truist Championship via Aon’s Pathway System

Course Breakdown: Welcome to Wissahickon

The Wissahickon Course is no pushover. It’s a par 70, tipping out at 7,119 yards. Built in 1922 by Tillinghast, this is the first time it’s ever hosted a PGA TOUR event. It was restored by Keith Foster in 2013, bringing back the original design and teeth. This course is old-school in the best way: tree-lined fairways, small and undulating greens, and enough bunkers to build a beach resort.

Wissahickon isn’t just a quirky one-off—it’s a legit test. Its most dramatic stretch? Holes 15–18. The 15th features the infamous “Great Hazard,” a massive 13-bunker gauntlet. It’s a demanding finishing stretch that will expose any weaknesses before next week’s major.

The Wild Genius Behind Wissahickon: A.W. Tillinghast’s Life and Legacy at Philadelphia Cricket Club

Tournament Records? Not Here.

This is the first time the event is being held at Philadelphia Cricket Club, so don’t expect anyone to break Wyndham Clark’s 72-hole record of 265 or Rory’s 18-hole mark of 61—those were set at Quail Hollow. This is a brand-new setup with its own identity.

Broadcast Schedule (All Times ET):

• Thursday–Friday: Golf Channel, 2–6 p.m.
• Saturday: Golf Channel (1–3 p.m.), CBS (3–6:30 p.m.)
• Sunday: Golf Channel (1–3 p.m.), CBS (3–6 p.m.)

Special Programming:

• Monday (8 p.m., Golf Channel): Debut of The Drop, a new fast-paced PGA TOUR studio show featuring Luke Clanton and Jordan Spieth.
• Tuesday (8 p.m., Golf Channel): All-Access: Club Car Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour.
• Wednesday (12:30–2 p.m.): On the Range preview show.
• Wednesday (4–7 p.m.): Creator Classic livestream from PCC.

FedExCup Implications:

Winner gets 700 points. McIlroy leads the standings, but with Scottie Scheffler closing in, this is a big week for separation.

Bottom line: Philly’s getting a taste of PGA TOUR action, and Wissahickon is ready to throw some haymakers. Let’s see who stands tall before the major pressure cooker of Valhalla next week.

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