By Justin Pelletier,Staff Writer

BOOTHBAY – The sweat dripped off of Tom Caron’s brow as he stood on the tee at the 16th hole. Two swings later, a birdie made it feel like a cool breeze had whipped through the hollow.

Two more holes and two birdies later, Caron, who missed qualifying for the tournament last year, found himself alone as the leader in the clubhouse.

As scores came in from the later tee times, Caron, of Bangor, relaxed in the clubhouse before leaving for the day, content with one of his better scores of the year.

“This is the third time I play this course, and the third time I play it well,” said Caron. “It just suits my game. I had a lot of wedges into greens, and I’m better with my wedges.”

It was a wedge that put Caron less than two feet from the flag on the 16th hole, and a wedge on the 17th that placed him eight feet below the hole on the par-3. His birdie-birdie-birdie finish offset a double bogey on the seventh hole, and bogeys on three other holes. He also birdied the second and fourth holes.

“In 1994 or 95, I made it to the final group when it was still all stroke play,” said Caron. “That’s about the highlight of my time playing this tournament, so I’m very happy with this round today.”

Scott Stone of North Yarmouth (Toddy Brook Golf Club) equaled Caron’s 71 later in the day.

“When the tournament switched to match play, I missed the cut by two the first year, two the second and one the next,” said Stone. “Last year I had some problems with my back, but this year I feel like I have a chance to play well. I’d like to qualify for match play.”

Caron, meanwhile, played high school golf in the mid 1980s against two-time defending champion Ricky Jones of Thomaston, and got the better of him Monday. Jones made three double-bogeys on his way to shooting 75.

“I just don’t like the course,” said Jones, who is a notoriously long hitter. “I hit a driver on some holes, and I’d be better off laying back 100 yards and playing from there. There’s no reward for being aggressive here.”

Jones did show some respect for the course, though, echoing dozens of other players in saying that it “couldn’t have played any harder” than it did Monday. And there may be something to that.

“It’s much more difficult than people realize,” said Jason Gall of Augusta Country Club. “A lot of people played practice rounds, but the greens are faster. They’re firmer, and the pins are tucked. There are some creative pins out there.”

Gall had a 72 Monday, putting him in good shape to make the cut to the low 32 players after today’s round. From there, 32 golfers will be paired off and will play up to three days of match play if they keep winning.

Other top scores Monday included 73s from Nick Pelotte of Waterville and Marc Siewertsen of Willowdale, and 74s from eight different golfers, including Blake Eldridge of Springbrook .

Another pleasant surprise to many observers Monday was Ryan Gay of Gardiner. Gay, 14, who earlier this season shot a 68 at Martindale, a 67 at Bath Country Club and a 73 at Belgrade Lakes, fored a 5-over-par 76 to stay well in contention to make the low 32.

“I couldn’t hit a fairway at all on the front nine,” said Gay, who shot 43 on the first nine before firing a 33 on the back. “It was just the driver. I couldn’t hit it straight.”

On the back, though, Gay made a 40-footer on the 11th hole and a 25-footer on the 13th, both for birdie, to right the ship.

Thirteen-time champion Mark Plummer (77), two-time champion Ron Brown (77) were lurking around the projected cut line after the first round, and several younger golfers were also in good shape.

Locally, Corey Woodhead of Martindale was at 76, Brady Chapman of Bethel was at 78, Larry Ross of Poland Spring carded a 79, as did Jace Pearson of Fox Ridge and Dan Hargreaves of Martindale. Paul Pelletier of Martindale shot 80, Craig Chapman of Fox Ridge fired an 81, and Robert Driscoll of Martindale shot 89.