By Justin Pelletier,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Some golf events, despite the appearance of a heavy favorite or two, are as unpredictable as the changing Maine weather.

Such is the Maine Amateur golf championship, which starts today at the Boothbay Country Club.

Two-time defending champion Ricky Jones of Thomaston and Windham’s Shawn Warren are both playing great golf lately. Warren never got a chance to challenge Jones last year because he was at another qualifier that conflicted with the tournament, but he returned to Maine in time to win a professional tournament – the 2004 Charlie’s Maine Open – in a playoff. Two weeks ago at the TD Banknorth Portland Open, Jones and Warren, along with York’s Ben Daughan, finished within one stroke of each other in the race for low amateur that Jones won.

But there are always underdogs – local golfers and some perhaps past their prime – waiting for one chance, or one more chance, for a shot at making the cut. From there, in match play, anything can happen.

Dan Hargreaves is one of those golfers.

“There’s always a shot,” said Hargreaves. “That’s the thing. I could go out and shoot 74 lights out one day and have that chance to make the cut. Two days, you know, it might be pretty rare, but you never know. Anything can happen.”

Hargreaves has played on the weekly Maine State Golf Association weekly amateur circuit for two years since returning from Montana and Vermont, where he went to school and worked.

“I didn’t play much golf,” said Hargreaves. “Not at all, actually. When I came back here and started working here at the restaurant (at Taber’s Lakeside Stand in Auburn), I was able to play during the summers, and I started playing in the MSGA weekly events with a lot of these guys that are at the top. Those are great because anyone can play. They are handicapped so that all golfers are on an even playing field for the net scores.”

Hargreaves works and lives on premises at Taber’s in a small house just beyond the miniature golf course.

“It’s not a bad place to be,” said Hargreaves. “I’ve been trying to do that this summer, trying to hit at least a small bucket of balls, 30 to 40 balls a day.”

He hopes this year’s attempt will go more smoothly than his last foray into the Maine Amateur. That year, at Penobscot Valley, he shot more than 20-over-par on Day 1 and never recovered.

His handicap this year is back down to nine, as he plays out of Martindale Country Club.

“I wish I was down at like a five or a four,” said Hargreaves. “But I’m just too inconsistent. I have good days and bad days. Golf is a game like that. To get better you have to be out there and you have to practice. You have to play every day.”

His goals, though, are still ambitious.

“The goal is to make the cut, to make it to match play,” said Hargreaves. “I think it’s doable. I think 6-over-par after 36 holes, 3-over each day. That should at least give me a chance, but I’m really not sure.”

Hargreaves will be part of a field of 132 golfers chasing the title, chasing the young guns like Jones and Warren, and the venerable former champions Mark Plummer and Ron Brown. Also in the field this week is Paul Pelletier, also playing out of Martindale, who is the defending Maine Senior Champion. Pelletier is playing in today’s first group off the tee with Warren and Jones.

Other local golfers include Craig Chapman of Fox Ridge, who made the field of 32 last year only to lose to Daughan 6-and-5, Brady Chapman of the Bethel Inn and Country Club, Corey Woodhead of Martindale, Larry Ross of Poland Spring, Keegan Fennessy of Summit, Robert Driscoll of Martindale and Jace Pearson of Fox Ridge.

Still, Hargreaves and most of the rest of the field have Warren and Jones squarely in their sights on a course that will be a bit shorter than last year’s event, but not short on challenges.

“When we were there for the MSGA event, there were some really good scores,” said Hargreaves. “But now, the tees are going to be back, the rough will be really long and the pins are going to be tucked, which is going to make a big difference.

“As for who to look for? I think it’s Warren. He’s been playing very good golf of late, but Jones, you can’t overlook the two-time defending champions, obviously. There are a few other younger guys, too. You never know.”