FLOURTOWN, Pa. โ Sepp Straka quickly realized that the key to conquering the Philadelphia Cricket Club in the Truist Championship was precision. The Austrian golfer now joins the historic venue, which is the oldest country club in the United States, in the record books with a memorable victory. Straka clinched his lead on the 16th hole with a par, shooting a 2-under 68, and outplayed Shane Lowry on Sunday to secure his second title of the season.
โThis is massive; itโs the biggest win of my career,โ expressed Straka, who now holds four PGA Tour titles. The decisive moment came after Lowryโs tee shot on the 212-yard, par-3 16th missed the green, allowing Straka to approach within 30 feet. Lowryโs ensuing chip from the thick rough missed a 6-foot par putt, placing him one stroke behind. A missed chance for a tying birdie on the par-4 17th added to Lowryโs woes, and further trouble on the lengthy 514-yard, par-4 finishing hole led to a three-putt bogey.
The back-nine competition concluded without high drama as Straka calmly completed the 18th with a straightforward two-putt par, marking him alongside Rory McIlroy (with three wins) as a notable multi-event champion this season. Straka, an alum of Georgiaโs golf program, also triumphed at The American Express earlier this year. Despite acknowledging less-than-ideal ball striking during the tournament, he credited his success largely to his putting, noting he sunk over 110 feet of putts during the final round.
โThe putter was just superb this weekโฆ A lot of mid-range putts dropped, and those are crucial to winning a tournament,โ he stated. This victory catapulted Straka to the number two spot in the FedEx standings. He earned $3.6 million from the $20 million purse in the sixth signature PGA Tour event of the season and claimed the unique cricket bat trophy โ a tribute to the original founders of the club in 1854. Straka is now in a strong position to enter the top 10 in world rankings and likely to join his second European Ryder Cup team.
Straka attributed his climb in the rankings to both his consistent play and work ethic. Meanwhile, Lowry, who last registered a PGA Tour win at the 2019 British Open and won the European tourโs BMW PGA Championship in 2022, viewed this tournament as a missed opportunity. He finished tied for second alongside Justin Thomas (67), who had remained competitive with a late surge. Despite Lowry advocating for a cooling-off period after rounds before engaging with the media, he chose not to comment.
The final leaderboard saw Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman, and Tommy Fleetwood each shooting 65 to secure a shared fourth place at 12 under. Meanwhile, McIlroy, the defending champion with four prior victories at Quail Hollowโhis usual playing groundโstruggled to find his stride. His closing round of 2-under 68 was enough to land him in seventh place at 10 under. Preparing for the PGA Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, McIlroy remained optimistic, stating, โI didnโt feel like I played all that well this week, yet I finished seventh. Just a few adjustments heading to a favorite course like Quail Hollow, and I feel ready.โ
Initial rounds set optimal scoring conditions at Philly Cricketโs Wissahickon Course. However, subsequent rounds introduced varied weather challenges; yet, Thomas was the only serious challenger among the first roundโs six signature event favorites. Ultimately, it boiled down to the pin-sharp precision from initial frontrunners.
Straka had established a two-shot lead at the front nine, though Lowryโs 12-foot birdie on the first suggested otherwise. However, the pivotal moment arrived with Strakaโs response โ a 20-foot eagle on the fifth to reclaim common ground with Lowry. By the end of the ninth, a 28-footer birdie saw Straka regain and extend his lead to 17 under.
Although two bogeys on the back nine saw his lead slip momentarily, neither contender capitalized on the short 95-yard 14th, nor did they clinch the advantageous par at 15. With tit-for-tat birdies ensuring another tie, it fell on Strakaโs 16th for the final defining factor as Lowry missed his crucial 22-foot putt for birdie. Despite Thomasโs attempted challenges through missed pivotal putts (at 12th and 15th), his remarkable recovery from three back to remain within reach stood as a testament to his competitive spirit.
โMy day went well,โ remarked Thomas. โTo have had shots on 15 to tie the leaderboard from three behind was commendable. I did my part, competed effectively, and stayed in contention which was my aim.โ Following injury-induced withdrawal of Sahith Theegala due to neck issues, professionals spoke glowingly about Wissahickon Course during this return to golf in Philadelphia, achieving considerable turnouts as fans relished the event โ the excitement so palpable that Saturday saw the merch store sold out before the final day. Straka concluded by recognizing the fervor, adding, โYou often hear about Philly sports fans and it holds true. The connection was enjoyable every time a โGo Birdsโ cheer came my way, fondly recalling the Eagles where my Bulldogs alumni shone so brightly.โ