Course Guide: We should be in for a treat this week as the Wissahickon is an old-style classic. Restored to its full 1922 glory by Keith Foster in 2013, this is an A.W. Tillinghast original and it’s the course he called his home course. Indeed Tillinghast had such affection for this course that his ashes were scattered in the Wissahickon Creek here. A short Par 70, this will be the first time in 2025 that we see Northern State agronomy with fescue and Bentgrass. In 2016, Wissahickon hosted the PGA Constellation Senior Players Championship, won by Bernhard Langer.
For reference, when researching the course the 1st hole will be the course 8th hole. The PGA Tour scorecard then plays Holes 9 to 7, as the 2nd Hole to the 18th.
Wissahickon Course – Philadelphia Cricket Club, Flourtown, Pennsylvania: Designer: A.W.Tillinghast, 1922 with Keith Foster Renovation 2013; Course Type: Classical, Mid-Score, Upstate, Short Length; Par: 70; Length: 7,119 yards; Holes with Water Hazards In-Play: 6; Number of Sand Bunkers: 118: Acres of Fairway: 26; Fairways: 007 Bentgrass; Rough: Tall Fescue 3″; Greens: 5,779 sq.ft average featuring Bentgrass; Tournament Stimp: 11.5ft.
Philadelphia Cricket Club Fairway Widths (yards): Below are the fairway widths for Wissahickon Course at Philadelphia Cricket Club and how they compare to recent courses that we’ve seen on Tour:
- Philadelphia Cricket Club: 30-32 yards at 300 yards.
- The Dunes Golf and Beach Club: 20 – 25 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Craig Ranch: 30 – 40 yards at 300 yards.
- Harbour Town: 250 yards from tee: 29 yards wide; 275:26; 300:22; 325:26; 350:22.
- Oaks Course: 250 yards from tee: 33 yards wide; 275:34; 300:29; 325:27; 350:26.
- Memorial Park: 30 – 40 yards at 300 yards.
- Copperhead: 250 yards from the tee: 24 yards wide; 275:20; 300:21; 325:23 350:19.
- TPC Sawgrass: 250 yards from the tee: 31 yards wide; 275:32; 300:30; 325:28 350:20.
- Bay Hill: 250 yards from the tee: 32 yards wide; 275:33; 300:33; 325:39 350:29.
- PGA National: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:27; 300:25; 325:27 350:25.
- TPC Scottsdale: 250 yards from the tee: 33 yards wide; 275:30; 300:28; 325:27; 350:27.
- Pebble Beach: 250 yards from the tee: 33 yards wide; 275:33; 300:29; 325:30 350:26.
- Torrey Pines South: 250 yards from the tee: 26 yards wide; 275:27; 300:25; 325:24; 350:23.
- Pete Dye Stadium: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:27; 300:26; 325:26; 350:24.
- Waialae: 250 yards from the tee: 34 yards wide; 275:32; 300:34; 325:37; 350:34.
- Plantation Course: 250 yards from the tee: 59 yards wide; 275:61; 300:65; 325:60; 350:62.
Course Designer Links: For research purposes, other A.W. Tillinghast designs include:
A.W. Tillinghast
- Baltusrol GC – 2005 & 2016 PGA Championship
- Bethpage State Park – Black Course – 2000 + 2009 U.S. Open, 2019 PGA Championship + 2012 + 2016 Barclays Tournaments
- Ridgewood Country Club – 2010 & 2014 The Barclays – 2018 Northern Trust.
- Winged Foot – West Course -2006 + 2020 U.S. Open
Course Overview: Philadelphia Cricket Club can’t be much more different to TPC Craig Ranch which we saw at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson last week. Classical in nature, this is an A.W. Tillinghast design which certainly looks the part. Most holes are typically straight – think Firestone South – but this course is wider off the tee, has far more sand bunkers in-play and far less trees than the old WGC-Bridgestone Invitational venue we used to visit in Akron, Ohio. It’s also almost 300 yards shorter.
The Wissahickon has generous driving areas, which is a mark of old-style designs. Tillinghast wanted to reward strategy and shot-making skills. While a poor drive at the Wissahickon will rarely result in a penalty stroke, it will lead to an incredibly difficult shot due to angles and hazards around the green. In order to score well, players must hit their shots in the right spots of the fairway in order to leave the correct angle of approach to the challenging and well-protected green complexes.
Rough for this week is set at 3 inches and the course features 118 sand bunkers, which cover 2.38 acres. Green complexes in the main tend to be raised, with plenty of bunker surrounds. There’s also tall fescue on a number of holes. It’s also very noticeable that the vast majority of holes have small, unhindered, fairway entrances into green complexes, which golfers who miss off the tee can effectively use to recover from with a pitch up the green to save par, or to make birdies on the par-5s.
Green complexes themselves are moderate in size; many are cantered from back to front, as per classic designs such as Donald Ross, plus feature Bentgrass putting surfaces.

Truist Championship Winners: Hosted at Quail Hollow: 2024: Rory McIlroy (-17); 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19); Hosted at TPC Potomac 2022: Max Homa (-8) Hosted at Quail Hollow: 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10); 2019: Max Homa (-15); 2018: Jason Day (-12); Hosted at Eagle Point 2017: Brian Harman (-10) 2016: James Hahn (-9); 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21); 2014: J.B. Holmes (-14); 2013: Derek Ernst (-8); 2012: Rickie Fowler (-14); 2011: Lucas Glover (-15); 2010: Rory McIlroy (-15).
OWGR of Truist Championship Winners: 2024: McIlroy 2; 2023: Clark 80; 2022: Homa 38; 2021: McIlroy 15; 2019: Homa 413; 2018: Day 14.
Incoming Form of Truist Championship winners since 2010:
- Rory McIlroy: 1st New Orleans/33rd Harbour Town/22nd Augusta/3rd San Antonio.
- Wyndham Clark: 24th Mexico/3rd New Orleans/29th Heritage/6th Corales.
- Max Homa: 48th Augusta/35th World MP/13th TPC Sawgrass/17th Bay Hill.
- Rory McIlroy: MC Augusta/28th World MP/MC TPC Sawgrass/10th Bay Hill.
- Max Homa: MC New Orleans/42nd San Antonio/52nd Corales/MC Copperhead.
- Jason Day: 34th New Orleans/20th Augusta/36th World MP/22nd Bay Hill.
- Brian Harman: 14th New Orleans /9th Heritage/MC Houston/13th Bay Hill.
- James Hahn: MC New Orleans/MC San Antonio/MC Heritage/MC Houston.
- Rory McIlroy: 8th Sawgrass/1st World MP/4th Augusta/11th Bay Hill.
- B. Holmes: 11th New Orleans/18th Heritage/12th Houston/64th San Antonio.
- Derek Ernst: 47th New Orleans/MC San Antonio/MC Louisiana Open/MC Puerto.
- Rickie Fowler: 10th New Orleans/MC Heritage/27th Masters/63rd Houston.
- Lucas Glover: MC Heritage/MC Augusta/MC Houston/20th Copperhead.
First Tournament Stats: We’ve published some key player statistics for this week’s event that are well worth a look. Naturally they’ll help to shape a view on players who could go well this week: Current Form | Tournament Form | First Round Leader | Combined Stats.
My published predictor is available here. Top 10 of my published predictor are: 1) Rory McIlroy; 2) Collin Morikawa; 3) Justin Thomas; 4) Xander Schauffele; 5) Viktor Hovland; 6) Patrick Cantlay; 7) Sungjae Im; 8) Jordan Spieth; 9) Justin Rose; 10) Sepp Straka.
Truist Championship Winners & Prices: 2024: McIlroy 17/2F; 2023: Clark 80/1; 2022: Homa 40/1; 2021: McIlroy 18/1; 2019: Homa 500/1; 2018: Day 20/1; 2017: Harman 80/1; 2016: Hahn 500/1; 2015: Rory McIlroy 7/2F; 2014: Holmes 66/1; 2013: Ernst 500/1; 2012: Fowler 50/1; 2011: Glover 110/1; 2010: McIlroy 66/1. Past 5 Renewals Average: 129/1; Average: 146/1.
Weather Forecast: The latest weather forecast for Flourtown, Pennsylvania is here.
Pennsylvania in May looks a mixed bag and relatively cold. 24mm – just under an inch – of rain across Saturday and Sunday will have doused Philadelphia Cricket Club, plus there’s 70% chance of more precipitation across Monday night and Tuesday. With no Sub Air and the potential of more rain on Thursday and Friday, I’d expect at least soft fairway conditions if not receptive greens.
Temperatures also interest. 21 Celsius – 70 Fahrenheit – on Thursday is pleasant enough. That falls to 9 degrees Celsius – 48 Fahrenheit on Friday and 15 degrees – 59 Fahrenheit on Friday. For me that’s more Northern European than United States. Winds could also gust 25mph on Friday from the North.
Player Strokes Gained Rankings: These top 25 in the field rankings are based on an 8-tournament window that stretches back to the Players Championship which includes both PGA Tour and DP World Tour events, where recorded. Player rankings are based on performance relative to the rest of the field:
- Top 25 SG Off The Tee: 1) Rory McIlroy; 2) Patrick Cantlay; 3) Corey Conners; 4) Tony Finau / Collin Morikawa; 6) Ludvig Aberg; 7) Robert MacIntyre; 8) Wyndham Clark; 9) Taylor Pendrith / Aaron Rai / Michael Thorbjornsen; 12) Keith Mitchell; 13) Andrew Novak; 14) Hideki Matsuyama; 15) Keegan Bradley; 16) Jordan Spieth; 17) Harris English / Sungjae Im / Si Woo Kim / Shane Lowry / J.J. Spaun / Erik van Rooyen; 23) Lucas Glover / Maverick McNealy; 25) Austin Eckroat.
- Top 25 SG Approach: 1) Sepp Straka; 2) Collin Morikawa; 3) Rory McIlroy; 4) Tom Hoge; 5) Viktor Hovland; 6) Russell Henley; 7) Patrick Cantlay; 8) Davis Thompson; 9) Daniel Berger; 10) Lucas Glover / Shane Lowry; 12) Xander Schauffele; 13) Will Zalatoris; 14) Corey Conners; 15) Keegan Bradley / Keith Mitchell / Justin Thomas; 18) Ben Griffin / Michael Kim / J.J. Spaun; 21) Stephan Jaeger / Justin Rose; 23) Tommy Fleetwood; 24) Taylor Pendrith; 25) Akshay Bhatia.
- Top 25 SG Around The Green: 1) Sungjae Im; 2) Justin Thomas; 3) Byeong Hun An / Keegan Bradley / Stephan Jaeger; 6) Nick Taylor; 7) Rory McIlroy; 8) Tommy Fleetwood / Shane Lowry; 10) Maverick McNealy / Aaron Rai; 12) Max Greyserman / Russell Henley / Min Woo Lee / Hideki Matsuyama / Adam Scott; 17) Daniel Berger / Corey Conners; 19) Eric Cole / Matt Fitzpatrick; 21) J.T. Poston; 22) Andrew Novak / Jordan Spieth; 24) Christiaan Bezuidenhout / Wyndham Clark / Lucas Glover.
- Top 25 SG Tee to Green: 1) Rory McIlroy; 2) Corey Conners; 3) Keegan Bradley; 4) Collin Morikawa; 5) Russell Henley / Shane Lowry; 7) Davis Thompson; 8) Sepp Straka; 9) Patrick Cantlay / Tom Hoge; 11) Daniel Berger; 12) Tommy Fleetwood / Hideki Matsuyama; 14) Jordan Spieth; 15) Lucas Glover; 16) Andrew Novak / Aaron Rai / Justin Thomas; 19) Wyndham Clark; 20) Si Woo Kim; 21) Xander Schauffele; 22) Keith Mitchell; 23) Michael Kim / Robert MacIntyre; 25) Ryan Gerard / Min Woo Lee / Maverick McNealy.
- Top 25 SG Putting: 1) Justin Thomas; 2) Sam Burns; 3) Denny McCarthy; 4) Tom Hoge; 5) Min Woo Lee; 6) Harris English / Rory McIlroy / J.T. Poston; 9) Matthieu Pavon; 10) Akshay Bhatia / Viktor Hovland; 12) Joe Highsmith; 13) Eric Cole; 14) Daniel Berger; 15) Brian Harman / Justin Rose; 17) Jacob Bridgeman / Robert MacIntyre; 19) Ryan Gerard / Jordan Spieth; 21) Wyndham Clark / Nick Dunlap / Max Greyserman; 24) Taylor Pendrith; 25) Chris Kirk / Sahith Theegala.
- Top 25 SG Total: 1) Garrick Higgo; 2) Rory McIlroy; 3) Tom Hoge; 4) Corey Conners / Justin Thomas; 6) Daniel Berger; 7) Shane Lowry; 8) Patrick Cantlay / Jordon Spieth; 10) Collin Morikawa; 11) Russell Henley / Denny McCarthy / J.T. Poston; 14) Davis Thompson; 15) Sepp Straka; 16) Ryan Gerard; 17) Eric Cole / Harris English / Keith Mitchell; 20) Keegan Bradley; 21) Wyndham Clark / Min Woo Lee; 23) Tommy Fleetwood; 24) Viktor Hovland / Justin Rose.
For the record, here’s the breakdown of pure Bentgrass green PGA Tour victors in the field since 2008:
- 9 – Rory McIlroy.
- 7 – Justin Rose.
- 5 – Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas.
- 4 – Hideki Matsuyama.
- 3 – Keegan Bradley, Lucas Glover, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott.
- 2 – Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Brian Harman, Chris Kirk, J.T. Poston.
- 1 – Daniel Berger, Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Sungjae Im, Michael Kim, Collin Morikawa, Taylor Pendrith, Sepp Straka, Davis Thompson.