Delco disappointed to lose Woods as PGA host

When the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square agreed in 2008 to host the AT&T National event on the PGA Tour this summer, Delaware County tourism officials had a simple marketing plan: Tiger, Tiger, Tiger.

But that plan took its latest hit yesterday when AT&T Inc. became the latest corporation to cut its ties with Tiger Woods after his admitted marital infidelity. The world's top golfer also will no longer host the event, which is expected to draw thousands of fans and millions in tourism revenue.

"The hotels in the area. . . have already had bookings, not only on the domestic level but on the international level," said Tore Fiore, executive director of Delaware County's Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau. "Does it put a damper on it? Yeah."

Nevertheless, tourism officials plan to meet for a second time next week with the Tiger Woods Foundation, a charitable beneficiary of the tournament, to discuss how to market the event "sans" Tiger, he said.

A Professional Golfers' Association of America spokesman said yesterday the July 1 to 4 event, the first PGA competition in the Philadelphia region in eight years, would go forward. More than 100 golfers are expected, and if Woods returns from his self-imposed leave from competition, he is welcome to take part, said Ty Votaw, executive vice president of communications and international relations for the tour.

But no one can plan on Woods, who has hosted the AT&T National since its inception in 2007. The company will sponsor the event this year but a spokesman would not comment on its plans for next year, the second and final year it is scheduled to be held in Newtown Square.

AT&T, which signed a "multiyear" agreement with Woods in 2009, did not provide reasons yesterday for dropping Woods or say how much the relationship was worth, according to the Associated Press. Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on the decision.

Aronimink officials declined to comment yesterday. A newsletter sent to club members said Woods gave the club no assurance whether he would play. It was to be the first time for Woods to compete in the Philadelphia area since he turned pro in 1996.

Club members voted unanimously in October 2008 to hold the event at Aronimink in 2010 and 2011. The tournament's home, Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., is closed in preparation for the 2011 U.S. Open.

Back then, Richard Naumann, general manager at Aronimink, said he was "very, very thrilled" that the club had voted to host the tournament.

Tourism officials were equally excited. The tournament drew $29.1 million in tourism revenue last summer, when Woods played and won the event, Fiore said. The previous year drew only $19 million to the region, when Woods was sidelined with an injury, he said.

"You're looking at $10 million," he said. "Absolutely, we're disappointed."

Beyond the dollars, the troubles with Woods casts a shadow on a banner event for a region "starved for" a regular major golf tournament, Fiore said. The PGA Tour last came to the Philadelphia area in 2002, when Waynesborough Country Club in Paoli hosted the SEI Pennsylvania Classic for the second time. Before that, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club held the IVB Classic annually until 1980.

Aronimink has hosted two major championships - the 1962 PGA and the 2003 Senior PGA.

Nick Wolfe, head golf professional at Waynesborough, said, "Obviously any time Tiger's not a part of the event, you can see with the viewership, it hurts the event tremendously."

Even without Woods, the AT&T is expected to draw tourism dollars on the order of $19 million, Fiore said.

"It's the matter of the degree of the win that changes," he said. "We just have to readjust our thought process."