CARRABASSETT VALLEY —  Mark Plummer fired a one-under-par 71 at the Sugarloaf Golf Club on Tuesday to tie Jeff Seavey for the lead at the State of Maine Championships after the first round.

Three players sit in a three-way tie for third place after day one; Mike Baker, former champion John Hickson, and amateur Dave Chambers all finished the day with an even-par 72. Defending champion and five time winner Bob Darling shot a first day 74 and is currently in a tie for eighth place.

After bogeys on the two of the first three holes, Plummer turned things around with five birdies, including four on the back nine. Seavey’s start was just the opposite, with three birdies over the first five holes.

“I played well and hit the ball well for most of the day,” said Plummer, the thirteen-time Maine Amateur Champion and four-time State of Maine Champion. “I got off to kind of a slow start and didn’t make a whole lot of putts, but I kept the ball in play, hit some good irons, and managed to stay away from trouble and not put any huge scores up on the board.”

Plummer represented the low amateur score for the day, followed by Chambers in third, and Dale Brown, who is part of the three-way for eighth.

Players battled hot and humid weather conditions, with temperatures reaching into the upper 80s by mid-morning.

“It was hot, but it didn’t bother me too much,” Plummer said. “There was a good breeze and I just kept drinking plenty of water. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the conditions. The course was as good as I’ve seen it for this tournament.”

The 36-hole stroke play tournament matches up Maine’s best professional and amateur golfers in junior, senior, and 18-50 year-old categories as they vie for cash, prizes, and ultimate bragging rights as Maine’s top golfer. In order to compete in the professional category, golfers must be a member of the Maine Chapter of the New England PGA or registered apprentice. All Maine residents are eligible to compete in the amateur category.

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