FALMOUTH —A large and diverse field will stride to the tee Tuesday in hopes of capturing the 93rd Charlie’s Maine Open title, and the golfers will need to bring their ‘A’ game.

Defending champion Dustin Cone of Florida, top young Maine professionals Shawn Warren and Eric Higgins, veteran amateurs Mark Plummer and Ricky Jones and a host of others will vie for the crown at a new location this season.

The picturesque and difficult Falmouth Country Club will host the tournament. It is the third different course to showcase the event in four years.

“We love the golf course. The Harris (family is) always great to us,” Maine State Golf Association Executive Director Nancy Storey said. “Our board of directors made the decision in December, and what they decided was that, instead of being at one course, they wanted to move it around to multiple sites. It’s going to be here this year, and we’re asking Augusta (Country Club, in Manchester) for next year.”

Cone, a Vermont native and Purdue graduate, had a key victory earlier this year at the Coors Light Open in Fort Myers, Fla., after he got up and down for birdie on the event’s final hole.

“He called us up and even asked us if we needed him for the pro-am,” Storey said. “We always love having our former champions back.”

A host of regional and Maine state pros and a healthy contingent from Canada help round out the field, including Fox Ridge of Auburn professional Bob Darling and Topsham’s John Hickson, a past champion.

Defending Maine Amateur champion Ryan Gay, who is playing a limited schedule in his home state this summer due to commitments to his college team in New Mexico, also will be in this week’s field.

Other former champions in the field include leading Maine pros include Jerry DiPhilippo and David Cummings.

Warren won the tournament as an amateur in 2004.

Falmouth Country Club is a private club in the Portland suburb. It offers a pair of distinct nine-hole layouts designed by Geoffrey Cornish in the mid-1980s.

The club has hosted its share of prestigious regional events, including the New England Amateur, the Maine Amateur, the Tri-State Amateur and the 2003 USGA Amateur Qualifier.

In 2004, Falmouth was selected as the Northern New England host for the Dave Pelz Scoring Game School.

Falmouth last hosted the Maine Open as part of a three-course rotation in 2001.

“That was only for one round,” Storey said. “We’re happy to be there for the whole tournament this time.”

The two-day event begins Tuesday with about 150 golfers. The cut after one round will include the low 50 golfers, plus ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead. There are also separate prizes and cuts for Maine pros, senior pros, amateurs and senior amateurs.