The PGA Tour's 2025 season continues to build momentum as Philadelphia Cricket Club prepares to host its first-ever tour event with the upcoming Truist Championship. This signature tournament features a formidable field headlined by Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who enters as the odds-on favorite.
While McIlroy commands attention at the top of the betting board, several compelling contenders lurk further down the odds list. Among them, Ireland's Shane Lowry stands out at +4000, riding an impressive streak of nine consecutive cuts made with seven top-20 finishes. Lowry's consistent tee-to-green play ranks 10th in the field, suggesting he may be due for his first solo victory since September 2022.
Sam Burns represents another intriguing option at +5500. After struggling through three missed cuts earlier this season, Burns has shown signs of resurgence with improving results in his last three starts, including a fifth-place finish at the Byron Nelson last week. His elite putting skills—he leads the field in true strokes gained putting this season—could compensate for his previous tee-to-green inconsistencies if his recent improvement continues.
Statbet analysts note that putting specialists like Burns historically overperform expectations on courses with challenging green complexes like Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Perhaps the most surprising name generating buzz is Andrew Novak at +6500. Fresh off a team victory at the Zurich Classic, a solo second at the RBC Heritage, and a third-place showing at the Valero Texas Open, Novak brings tremendous momentum. During this three-tournament surge, he ranks fifth in the field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and tenth in putting. Additionally, Novak currently leads the entire PGA Tour in putts per round this season—a statistic that could prove pivotal on an unfamiliar course making its PGA Tour debut.
The Truist Championship promises to deliver compelling storylines as Philadelphia Cricket Club establishes itself as a new venue on the PGA Tour calendar, potentially creating opportunities for these skilled underdogs to challenge the tournament favorite.
