Surprised reactions and numerous lip-outs stun players at the Truist tournament due to unexpectedly swift green speeds.
Ready for a rollercoaster at the Wissahickon Course?
The inaugural visit of the PGA Tour to Philadelphia Cricket Club's Wissahickon Course began with a bang, as elite golfers posted low scores on the opening day. However, things took a turn as the course served up a bit of a twist on Saturday.
Keith Mitchell set the pace with a sensational 9-under 61 in the first round, but encountered a few bumps on the road to a 1-over 71 on Saturday. The minimal wind and soft greens on day one made way for a long and challenging day on Saturday, with bigger gusts and faster greens creating a whole new ball game.
Mitchell, who now trails leaders Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka by three shots, voiced his disappointment, stating "The greens today were a different speed than they were yesterday. They were a lot faster, thanks to the winds and the dry air."
The third and fourth holes proved the most challenging for Mitchell, who dropped three-putt bogeys on both, lipped out a 3-foot par save on the par-3 eighth, and saw his birdie attempt scorch past the cup on the par-3 14th. A total of 70 players made it to the weekend, and Mitchell ranks 70th in putts per green in regulation (2.07).
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry also struggled, with McIlroy's 4 1/2-foot putt taking an unexpected left turn for a double bogey at No. 7, and Lowry's 7-foot birdie attempt failing to drop at No. 8. Meanwhile, Straka, the co-leader, endured the only bogey of his day on a lip-out at the 12th hole.
"It was very tough today in those winds, particularly tough to hole putts," Lowry said. "When you get inside 10 feet, to be really precise on these greens was tough."
As for the green speeds, Lowry agreed with playing partner Mitchell's assessment, "They were a lot quicker today, especially towards the end." Interestingly, the first few days saw the greens playing slower, according to Lowry.
Despite the increased challenges, thePHPGA Tour players have showered praises on the Philadelphia Cricket Club, with Tony Finau calling it a "good one" and expressing hope for more tour stops here. The course has earned a reputation as one of the best golfing locations in a 100- to 150-mile radius, offering a taste of old-school Northeast golf that tour players seldom encounter.
- The fire in Keith Mitchell's play seemed to wane on Thursday as he agreed that the speeds of the greens were significantly faster than the previous day, making it tough to hole putts.
- The PGA Tour players faced a whole new ball game on Saturday, with winds and faster greens causing challenges, as evidenced by Keith Mitchell's struggles at the third and fourth holes, and Rory McIlroy's double bogey at No. 7.
- Shane Lowry too found it tough to hole putts when he was inside 10 feet, echoing Mitchell's sentiments about the speeds of the greens.
- Despite the increased difficulties, the Wissahickon Course continues to impress the PGA Tour players, with Tony Finau calling it a "good one" and expressing hope for more tour stops at this location, known for its old-school Northeast golf ambiance.
