By ED DUPREE

The PGA Senior Tour's Vantage Championship will be back at Clemmons' Tanglewood Park in 2002 under a new name, the RJR Championship.

The terrorist attacks on America on September 11 forced cancellation of all PGA Tour events that week and cancellation or postponement of other sports. The 15th annual Vantage had been set September 14-16.

The 2001 Vantage was supposed to be the last one sponsored by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, but RJR decided to change the name under the terms of the 1998 tobacco settlement and sponsor the tournament again September 9-15 in 2002.

"I think they wanted to go out giving the people of the community a chance to see the top senior golfers play," said tournament director Mark Freidinger. "Obviously, with the circumstances of the whole week, it just wasn't a proper time to play. So, I think they felt like, instead of ending it on this note, they'd like to do it on a positive aspect."

Freidinger said his first thought after the terrorist attacks was, "We need to play and show them we're not being affected by it." After thinking longer about it, he said, "With all the devastation and loss of life in New York and Washington and the national mourning day on Friday, it was not the proper thing to do. The cancellation was the proper thing to do."

He pointed out that, as an ex-coach, he was ready for the "game," which included a field that featured 30 of the top 31 money-winners.

"Our staff, our volunteers: We were ready for the tournament. I've got to tip my hat to the course at Tanglewood. That course was in the best shape I think it's ever been in, particularly the greens."

Freidinger was an assistant basketball coach under Carl Tacy at Wake Forest and Larry Brown at Kansas before changing professions.

Freidinger and his staff, of course, had made all the preparations for the tournament at great expense.

"We had set up all the skyboxes and all the bleachers. Those were the big expenses. Obviously, we paid for the course," he said, listing other expenses such as tents, furniture, TVs, roping off areas, golf carts, food and printing.

"I haven't got to the bottom line yet. We're just trying to work through it, work with the Senior PGA Tour, and hopefully come up with a resolution," he explained.

Freidinger pointed out that local charities will still receive funds, but probably only about one-third of what has been donated in the past.

The 2002 tournament is, of course, of major importance to Freidinger and his staff, but he wants to close the door on 2001 first.

"Obviously, we're trying to handle all our sponsors and make sure everything is OK there – close the book on this one before we start thinking about next year," he said.

"We want to go out with a bang. We want to put on a great tournament for RJR for their last one," exclaimed Freidinger.