Aronimink prefers to host a major over Woods' AT&T National

Aronimink Golf Club president Paul Coady thought that hosting the AT&T National for two years was a "good experience" for his members and appreciated the nice comments from officials of the tournament founded by Tiger Woods.

But as far as the possible return of the PGA Tour event to the Newtown Square course after it completes its contract with Congressional Country Club in 2014, it's a matter of: not so fast.

Coady said Wednesday there have been no discussions with AT&T National officials. He said the focus of the club is attracting a major championship - either a PGA or a U.S. Open - to Aronimink.

"That's still an interest that we have," Coady said. "Because of the history of the club and having hosted majors in the past, with some of the feedback that we did receive at the time the AT&T was there, that our focus is going to be on a major at some time in the future. That's where our efforts are being expended right now."

Greg McLaughlin, the AT&T National tournament director and president and chief executive officer of the Tiger Woods Foundation, said Monday he had spoken with officials at Aronimink and at other Philadelphia-area clubs that he declined to identify. He said he understood Aronimink's desire for a major.

"I know that their goal is to try to get a major," McLaughlin said. "We loved it there. Of course we would want to go back there. I'm just not sure about the timing and how we would fit with everything."

The three-year contract between the AT&T National and Congressional Country Club, in Bethesda, Md., expires with the 2014 tournament. Woods said his people were speaking with Congressional, but other options exist "in Philly or in the D.C./Baltimore area."

Coady said the club and officials of the tournament "parted ways . . . with a mutual respect for each other."

"They indicated at that time they would consider coming back to Philadelphia," he said. "They asked if we would be interested and we said we would think about it. But we really have not had any specific contact with them for some time."

Aronimink, which hosted the 1962 PGA and 2003 Senior PGA Championship, welcomed officials from the PGA of America and the U.S. Golf Association in 2011, the last of the two years it hosted the AT&T National.

Because the reviews of the course and of the club's performance during the event were almost universally positive, it was thought that interest by the two organizations would remain relatively high. Coady said the club wasn't necessarily disappointed by the slow pace.

"It's a process that runs at their speed, not ours," he said. "We'd be happy to be considered, but we understand that this is a long process. There are many fine clubs that are also deserving and interested. We're happy to wait out our time and see what happens."