BOOTHBAY – Paul Pelletier faced what might have been his most daunting task of the day at the first tee Monday. Introduced as the reigning Maine State Senior Champion, a title he won last year at Martindale and Fox Ridge in Auburn, Pelletier shook hands with his two playing partners – Ricky Jones and Shawn Warren.
Jones, the two-time defending champion of the Maine Amateur, and Warren, the defending Charlie’s Maine Open champion and one of the top amateurs in Maine, are bombers. An average drive for the two of them is nearly 300 yards.
“I was 30 to 40 yards behind them on every hole,” said Pelletier, a Lewiston native who now lives in in the Portland area. “They were gearing down, and I had a driver, and they were still way beyond me.”
Still, Pelletier, who continues to play out of Martindale, managed an 80 and closed with eight straight pars. He would likely have to shoot a 74 or better today to be assured a place in the match play round of 32, but that didn’t matter.
“It was just a great group to play in even though we didn’t play all that well,” said Pelletier. “The course was a shorter course, but it had a lot of character to it. All I can do is come out (today) and do the best I can.”
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