Congressional Replacement for the National in '10 and '11

You may have read last week that Joe Logan was reporting the potential replacement for Congressional during the years leading up to the US Open in 2011 there would be Aronimink in Pennsylvania. That may still be in contention, but Len Shapiro at the WashPost wondered about the option of TPC Avenel, as well as others. I roll my eyes as I type this cause I hate Avenel that much.

Several sources at Congressional said Woods's foundation has been in discussions with Aronimink Golf Club in suburban Philadelphia, confirming a Philadelphia Inquirer report Sunday.

Another Congressional source indicated the PGA Tour still would like to persuade the Woods Foundation to play the event in 2010 and 2011 at newly renovated TPC Avenel, about a mile from Congressional.

Another Congressional source said Woods, who has not played in a PGA Tour event at Avenel, has heard so many negative comments about the course, "he won't even go over there and look at it. I don't think he wants to play there."

TPC Avenel GM Mike Sullivan confirmed Woods has never visited Avenel but said: "Maybe once we get some grass on it, we can persuade him to take a ride around here. It might change his perception."

Yeah, right.

Other possibilities for Woods's event in 2010 and 2011 would include the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville and Caves Valley outside Baltimore.

RTJ would be an interesting choice, especially since it is no longer the permanent US home for the Pres Cup. I have played Caves Valley and love the place. It has staged the US Senior Open, so it can handle a big event. It may be a tougher challenge than RTJ and along the lines of Congressional in difficulty.