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Straka holds his nerve to edge Lowry and seal thriller at Truist Championship
Austrian golfer holds off a fierce challenge from his Irish rival to win in Philadelphia and collect a second PGA Tour title of the season
- PUBLISHED: Mon 12 May 2025, 8:36 PM
- By:
- KT Golf
With the historic backdrop of Philadelphia Cricket Club and the pressure of a $20 million purse, Sepp Straka delivered one of the steeliest performances of his career on Sunday, edging Shane Lowry to win the Truist Championship in North Carolina on the PGA Tour with a 2-under 68.
The decisive moment came at the par-3 16th hole, where Straka found the green and walked away with par while Lowry faltered, missing the green and then a critical six-footer to save par. That stumble gave Straka the lead for good.
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“It’s huge, the biggest win of my career,” said Straka, whose fourth career PGA Tour title places him alongside Rory McIlroy as one of just two players with multiple wins this season.
The final stretch saw Straka calmly hold his ground. Lowry had one last chance to pull even at the 17th but his 22-foot birdie attempt missed left. Then, after finding trouble off the tee at the demanding 514-yard 18th, Lowry closed with a bogey while Straka tapped in for a comfortable two-putt par to seal the win.
Though Straka admitted he didn’t have his best stuff early in the week, he credited one part of his game for carrying him to the finish line.
“The putter was just excellent this week,” he said. “Made a lot of mid-range putts, and that's something you have to do when you want to win a golf tournament.”
His putter did the heavy lifting again Sunday, with over 110 feet of putts made in the final round alone. That helped erase some earlier driving woes and allowed him to capitalize on key birdie and eagle chances, including a 20-foot eagle on the par-5 fifth and a pair of clutch birdie putts on holes 8 and 9.
Straka now moves up to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings and earns $3.6 million, plus the event’s signature cricket bat trophy — a nod to the club's 19th-century roots. He’s also positioned to break into the world’s top 10 and solidify his place on Europe’s Ryder Cup squad for 2025.
For Lowry, it was another close call. The 2019 Open Champion has not claimed a PGA Tour title since that triumph and finished in a tie for second alongside Justin Thomas, who surged late with a 67 but missed a couple of key birdie opportunities on the back nine.
“I gave myself a chance,” Thomas said. “Starting three back to have a putt on 15 to tie for the lead — I definitely would have taken that at the start of the day. I fought hard.”
Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman, and Tommy Fleetwood each carded 65s to share fourth at 12 under. Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, finished in a tie for seventh after a closing 68. It was his first individual start since completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta.
“I think I’m in a good place,” McIlroy said. “Didn’t play all that well this week, still finished seventh. Just need a few tweaks going into Quail Hollow.”
Despite the competition’s intensity, the venue and fans stood out just as much. The tour’s return to Philadelphia drew packed crowds and a sold-out merchandise tent by Saturday. Players praised the Wissahickon course and the atmosphere it fostered.
“You always hear about Philly sports fans, and it really is true,” said Straka. “Every time I heard a ‘Go Birds,’ it was kind of fun. I rooted for the Eagles a bit last year — my Bulldogs had a bunch of guys on defence there.”
Lowry declined to speak with media after the round, a move consistent with his ongoing call for players to have a “cooling-off period” before interviews.
As the PGA Tour heads south to Quail Hollow for the PGA Championship, Straka will carry not only momentum but also growing credibility as one of the game’s most consistent closers.
