Historic Philadelphia country club to host PGA Tour's 2025 Truist Championship
This spring, one of the PGA Tour's signature events will call Philadelphia home. The Truist Championship is taking over the Philadelphia Cricket Club's Wissahickon course.
"The response has been even better than we thought, and the passion this market has for sports, I think we fit in quite nicely with a signature event," Joie Chitwood, the Truist Championship Executive Director, said.
The event at the nation's oldest country club is set to tee up in early May and will feature Philadelphia food favorites, including cheesesteaks. Fans will also experience nods to the area at the event, like Liberty Bell Landing.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club was founded in 1854 by alumni of the University of Pennsylvania, according to the club's website. The Wissahickon Golf Course, which opened in 1922, is located in Flourtown, Pa., in Montgomery County.
The championship will air on CBS from May 10-11.
"We sold out Saturday already, with Friday virtually days away of selling out, as well. We couldn't ask for more energy or enthusiasm from the market. It also tells us this is the market to be in," Chitwood said.
Typically, the event is held at Quail Hollow, North Carolina, but that course is hosting a different championship this year.
"Philadelphia has always been on our list based on an event they ran here in 2016 where we caught notice," Chitwood said.
"It's the top 70 on the PGA Tour competing for a $20,000,000 purse," Chitwood said.
Construction continues on the grounds to build 54,000 square feet of temporary hospitality space. Several holes on the course are also being rerouted.
"When you think about the type of sporting event we are — we come in and we leave, but we engage vendors, we spend money, there's opportunity for folks to actually come visit us and stay in hotels and generate those tax dollars," Chitwood said.
The event is also giving back to the area.
"We believe when it's all said and done, we'll have an estimated $2.5 million dollar charitable impact. That to me will be the legacy of the Truist Championship," Truist Chairman and CEO, Bill Rogers, said.
The Charlotte-based bank announced a five-year partnership with First Tee – Greater Philadelphia – a youth program focused on creating golf accessibility.
"This is the launching off point. It's the tip of the iceberg," Travis Rhodes, Truist's Regional President for Pennsylvania and New Jersey, said.
The event will return to North Carolina next year.
"We're hoping this is also a launching point to see what golf can do here in Philadelphia on an ongoing basis," Rhodes said.
