In contrast to the beautiful opening day at the 2025 Truist Championship at the Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissachickon), Friday’s action presented a wet and windy round for participating golfers. Still, with no lightning in the area, Rory McIlory, Shane Lowry, and other golf professionals sported the windbreakers as they walked the 7,119-yard, par 70 course in Flourtown in front of brave golf fans that braved the elements to watch the best in the world compete in their craft.
Keith Mitchell heads the Truist Championship Field going into Saturday
Keith Mitchell led heading into the round at -9, and he maintained that lead with a -3 score of 67 as he battled moderate to heavy rain and wind gusts north of 10 miles per hour. It is his third time with a lead or co-lead after 36 holes on the PGA Tour.
“They really don’t give any money or points out on Thursday,” Mitchell said about his opening round on Thursday. “It puts you in a good position, but it doesn’t guarantee you anything. So, I’ve got to keep my head down and keep moving.” Mitchell has a 50% success rate in those opportunities after winning the 2018 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. He finished in a third-place tie in his next chance at The CJ CUP @ SUMMIT in 2021.
Lowry is second on the scoreboard following a -5 round on Friday. He is one of two players (Patrick Cantlay) with one bogey over the first two days of competition. The 38-year-old, Irish-born golfer enters the weekend in a position to capture his third top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR this season. “Everyone says that to me every day when it rains,” Lowry responded on having an advantage in these elements. “I think I’m able to handle them probably better than a few people, but I don’t particularly like or enjoy going out and playing in these conditions, but yeah, I handle them well.” Lowry is seeking his fourth win on the PGA Tour this weekend.
Sepp Straka sits in third place with a two-day score at 130, which leaves him -10 for the tournament after 36 holes in Philly. Straka has positioned himself well for a fourth top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season. “Yeah, it was fun,” Straka said post-round. “Definitely don’t want to play in the rain all the time, but every now and again, it’s fun.”
McIlroy, the current FedEx Cup leader, sits just outside the top three with -3, leaving him with a two-day total at -7 or 133 strokes. “I felt like today was another sort of scrappy one,” McIlroy said after his round. “I made what I feel are some uncharacteristic mistakes compared to how I’ve played the majority of the year.” The 36-year-old golfer won the 2025 Masters in early April, which accomplished a tournament win he’s always envisioned claiming. “We all have our own challenges, and if my challenge is to try and focus on the present and nothing about a dream come true a few weeks ago, that’s a pretty good challenge to have.”
Five other pros are tied with McIlroy entering the weekend: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Akshay Bhatia, Si Woo Kim, and Cantlay. The defending Truist Championship winner has positioned himself inside the top five in over 60% (5-of-8) of his PGA TOUR starts this season.
Much better weather is expected for the competition on Saturday morning, with temperatures starting in the 50s and creeping towards the 70s in the afternoon for the Philly area. It is expected to be sunny all day with no precipitation expected. However, there could be a stiff wind (15-20 mph) for the remaining golfers to contend with during the final nine holes on Saturday in Flourtown at the 2025 Truist Championship.
