Imagine Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt in his prime taking an at-bat for Bryce Harper today. That’s essentially the roster move that the PGA TOUR has made for this week’s Truist Championship.

The sixth Signature Event of the season traditionally is contested at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, but because the course is hosting next week’s PGA Championship, The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course is pinch-hitting for the field of 72 in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. It’s situated almost 15 miles north-northeast as a Schmidt homer would fly from Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies, the only Major League Baseball Team for which Schmidt ever played.

Details of what is a special treat for qualifiers and fans alike, a review of the weather and much more are detailed below the ranking of golfers projected to contend.

It’s not often that a classic track that hasn’t needed to modify much for the PGA TOUR steps in to challenge like “Philly Cricket” does this week, so this is a bone thrown to everyone from the purists to the newest of the emerging fans thirsty to learn. The golfers can enjoy the experience further as competitors as there is no cut in this Signature Event.

Famed course architect A.W. Tillinghast, himself a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, designed Wissahickon over 100 years ago to be his home course, but this is the first time that it’s hosted the PGA TOUR. It may have occurred sooner if not for a restoration that was delayed about five years (due to the economy) and ultimately completed in 2014 by architect Keith Foster. The Kaulig Companies Championship on the PGA TOUR Champions was held here in 2016, and none of the 78 who completed 72 holes in that senior major finished in red numbers. (Berhard Langer prevailed at 1-over 281.)

Before you consider that Wissahickon was too much for the older guard, consider that it was a stock par 70 that tipped at just 7,017 yards, second-shortest of four par 70s on the PGA TOUR Champions that season. Par remains the same for the Truist, but it’s been stretched to 7,119 yards.

Bentgrass blankets the fairways and greens, while rough rising to 2 ½ inches and consisting of a blend of bluegrass and fescue awaits wayward strikes. With many elevated and/or multi-tiered putting surfaces, all of which protected by menacing bunkers – there are 118 across the course – benefits for golfers who profile as ball-strikers are multiplied. For one, controlled “boring” golf plays way up. For another, the greens are slightly below average in size, and they are undulating and unfamiliar, so there’s no competitive course advantage for good putters. Under ideal conditions, the greens are prepared to touch 13 feet using the Stimpmeter.

To optimize the infrastructure and set up the possibility for a gutty finish, routing for the Truist has been adjusted compared to how members play it.

Hole No. 1 on the scorecard actually is the 365-yard par-4 eighth at Wissahickon. The procession will follow in order through the par-4 18th (No. 11 for the Truist). Nos. 1, 2 and 3 for members will be Nos. 12, 13 and 14 this week. The walk then becomes a counterclockwise inward spiral from an overhead viewpoint.

The last four holes for the tournament are Nos. 7, 5, 6 and 4, respectively, at Wissahickon. The 553-yard, par-5 15th for the Truist features 13 fairway bunkers, 11 of which contributing to what is known as the “Great Hazard.” However, it remains to be seen how the setup on any day will influence strategy off the tee, for covering the 55 yards through the hole (at its shortest distance across) would need to be doable for all entrants. While it’s visually striking, the primary test on the hole is the green complex that’s isolated, perched and surrounded by four bunkers.

That theme carries forward to the finish line at which point three straight pars to close likely will beat the field average. As unique as it is that Wissahickon is center stage for a week, it’s still going to be exactly the kind of test on which to sharpen irons (and mettle) and build confidence in advance of the major that awaits on the second half of this fortnight.

The weather also could factor early. In fact, rain in advance of balls in the air on Thursday morning could soften the turf but lengthen the course. More rain is expected by Friday when it will be coolest as wind pushes in from the north. Everything should calm down by the weekend as lighter breezes could rotate from the prevailing west by Sunday.

The winner of the Truist will be one of the last automatic qualifiers for the PGA Championship. As of midday Monday, only Rickie Fowler and Michael Thorbjornsen are not yet exempt for the major.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton previews and recaps every tournament. Refer to the timing of his contributions below. He’s also active as @RobBoltonGolf on X where you can connect with him.

• MONDAY: Power Rankings (Truist)
• TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (ONEflight Myrtle Beach), Fantasy Insider
• SUNDAY: Points and Payouts (Truist; ONEflight Myrtle Beach), Qualifiers

*Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by PGA TOUR Superstore, which also publishes on Tuesday.