AUBURN – Mother Nature finally brought the August heat to Central Maine on Wednesday.

So did Shawn Warren.

Two days after firing a course-record 65 in the pre-tournament pro-am, the Windham native drained seven birdies to just one bogey to post a 6-under-par 66, taking a two-shot lead after the first round of the rain-delayed Charlie’s Maine Open at Fox Ridge Golf Club.

Warren’s play of late has been just as warm. He recently captured his first win as a professional with a victory at the rain-shortened Greater Bangor Open. He placed in the top 10 at the Greater Portland Open, second at the New Hampshire Open and fifth at the Rhode Island Open.

“I’ve always put up decent numbers when I’ve come back to New England,” Warren said, “but one tournament would be good, and the next wouldn’t be. I really just found a routine that’s working for me as far as practicing and knowing what I have to do before a tournament to get my game in the right shape. Whereas in past years, maybe I over-worked, this year I’m taking more of a relaxed approach.”

Warren’s round was that much more impressive Wednesday considering the conditions, and the hole locations dreamed up by the MSGA’s tournament committee.

“It was soggy out there, but the greens were surprisingly firm,” Warren said. “This morning they were pretty fresh and the ball was rolling nice on them.

Having played in the pro-am on Monday, Warren said, was a big help.

“In the pro-am, I hit the wrong club off a few holes, remembering how firm the course was last year,” Warren said. “Today, I made a few minor adjustments with a few clubs off the tee that gave me a few shorter shots in.”

Warren is plenty familiar with one of the golfers chasing him, too. Jeff Seavey, the head professional at the Samoset Resort course and a University of Maine at Farmington graduate, fired an afternoon round of 4-under-par 68 to pull within two shots of Warren. The two played together in the final round at the Greater Bangor Open, with Warren earning the win.

“I putted well, and I think I only missed four greens,” Seavey said.

Seavey also drained a 100-yard wedge shot for eagle on the par-5 eighth hole.

“I spun it right back into the hole,” Seavey said.

He almost did the same on No. 18, missing the cup by a few inches before tapping in for birdie.

Robert Kalinowski made waves later in the afternoon after knocking in an eagle at No. 8 to get to 4-under. Kalinowski leveled out on the back nine, though, and finished in 37 for a 3-under-par round of 69. Kalinowski, amateur Ricky Jones (72) and Sean Barrett (84) of Bethel were in the next-to-last group, that finished in near-darkness. Amateur Dan Hargreaves of Auburn, a late entry into the tourney, was the final golfer off the course at 8:15 p.m., carding a 78.

Another local favorite, Topsham’s John Hickson, was the early leader Wednesday with an opening-round 69 of his own. Hickson, who works for Dick’s Sporting Goods in Topsham, had five birdies to go with two bogeys.

Another perennial contender at the Maine Open, Rich Parker, was at 2-under-par 70, while former champion James Gilleon of New Hampshire posted a 1-under 71. Gilleon last played in the Maine Open in 2001, when it rotated between three courses over three days. This was his first spin around Fox Ridge.

“I kind of let a few slip near the end there,” Gilleon said. “But I made (eagle on 18), so that helped a lot. Sometimes I feel like I played a little better than I shot, but once that happened on the last hole, that made up for it.”

Mark Alizzeo of Shrewsbury, Mass. and Jimmy Burke of Newton, Mass. joined the group at 1-under-par later in the afternoon.

Augusta’s Mark Plummer continued his consistent play with a 1-under 71 of his own, making him the low amateur through one round.

Bob Darling, the director of golf and head pro at Fox Ridge, carded a 2-over 74 in his first round completing each side of the course in identical 37s.

“You’ve got to put it in the fairway,” Darling said simply. “Where I ran into trouble is when I missed the short grass.”

Jace Pearson, a one-time club champion at Fox Ridge, came in one better at 1-over 73. Reigning Maine Amateur and Maine Junior champion Ryan Gay posted a 3-over 75 playing in the day’s first group with Darling and Gilleon.