The hospitality tents are up, ready to welcome spectators next week at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s … More
The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course will host the Truist Championship from May 8–11, drawing a stacked field led by Masters champ Rory McIlroy (a four-time winner), who returns to defend his title at the PGA Tour event formerly known as the Wells Fargo Championship.
Last year, McIlroy closed with a 6-under 65 on Sunday to get the job done with panache—his back nine revved up crowds with a pair of eagles and a couple birdies for good measure. He blew by runner-up Xander Schauffele, who held the lead going into the final round, to win by five strokes. Expect Rory’s gallery to be massive at this no-cut signature event that marks a new chapter for the tournament. Truist—a top 10 U.S. Bank—has stepped in as the new title sponsor under a seven-year agreement. While this year’s edition takes place in Philadelphia due to Quail Hollow hosting the PGA Championship later in May, the tournament will return to Charlotte in 2026 and beyond.
The Art Of Activation
The event gives Truist—formed six years ago in a merger of equals between BB&T and SunTrust—a prime opportunity on the sports calendar to stoke brand awareness, deepen client engagement, and spark new relationships.
“What we find, across all of our properties that we are invested in, is when you have an investment with a tournament, and that fan is a fan of the golf tournament or a baseball or football team, you have 72% higher brand recall, because that fan feels like they want to be affiliated with you,” Dontá Wilson, Truist’s chief consumer and small business banking officer, explained.
“So that’s the brand piece, but beyond that, this is a long-term commitment to these markets. We’ve been in these markets over 100 years—when our predecessor branches and banks converted over to Truist in 2019. We’ve already seen nice robust momentum, and we look to elevate and continue that momentum.”
Truist will engage its wide range of clients in unique ways, with tailored events including a doubles tennis tourney and experiences meant to strengthen connections. “All our client segments, from the mass consumer all the way up to capital markets, wealth, premier, small business, and everything in between—we have dedicated events and ways to engage them, whether it’s dinners or hosting educational sessions where they can gain valuable content and attend the tournament,” Wilson added.
For instance, the tournament will host events specifically targeted to their auto dealer partners and for their mortgage warehouse lending clients. This localized approach extends to the tournament grounds, where local small businesses will have a presence in the activation areas.
With the tournament culminating over Mother’s Day weekend, Truist is putting a special spotlight on moms, introducing a hospitality activation geared toward families and mothers during the weekend rounds.
“We’re hosting a Mother’s Day lounge—a relaxing premium space for mothers to enjoy complimentary manicures and refreshments—to help them feel pampered and appreciated on their special day,” Wilson said. The section will be decked out in purple flowers, on brand with the bank’s color palette.
The bank is also transporting a taste of Wall Street to Philadelphia, hosting its annual Truist Securities Industry Conference in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time—after years of holding the event in New York City. Leading financial experts will help investors keep their portfolios out of the rough while many in both camps will also find time keep tabs on the PGA Tour’s finest risk/reward approach to navigating mettle-testing fairways and greens.
The 18th hole will be the site of a Truist brand experience tent—a main hub for influencer activations. There, fans will find a photobooth, a golf simulator, and a chance to catch Coach Rusty, the trickshot artist turned contemporary abstractionist, in action. In a nod to Jackson Pollock, Rusty’s viral paintings culminate as he blasts paint at a canvas using a golf club, creating a dynamic spray effect.
The tournament’s economic impact is projected to be in the tens of millions and according to Wilson, it is also expected to generate $2.5 million of charitable impact with several different entities and nonprofits benefiting, including First Tee of Greater Philadelphia.
Creator Clash
On Wednesday May 7, the same day as the tournament’s official pro am presented by NetJets, a new edition of the Creator Classic Series, produced by Pro Shop Studios will be staged concurrently. It will feature eight golf influencers including Paige Spiranac, Claire Hogle and Erik Anders Lee playing alongside four non-golf creators including tech review influencer Marques Brownlee and Dude Perfect’s Tyler Toney. This clash of creators will be a team competition with four three-player teams duking it out in a nine-hole event that will be broadcast on the PGA TOUR’s YouTube channel and also streamed live on a variety of platforms including ESPN+ and Peacock and Prime Video.