MANCHESTER — At first, Monday’s opening round of the Charlie’s Maine Open seemed to be shaping up into the haves versus the have-nots.

Several who have Maine golf titles on their resumes and morning tee times enjoyed virtually ideal conditions to start the two-day tournament. Those with less successful records in the tournament who also started in the afternoon had to trudge through a steady drizzle.

Playing in the second-to-last group of the day, James Dornes of Lancaster, Pa., overcame the elements to make eight birdies and fire a 7-under 63 to take the lead at Augusta Country Club.

He will enter Tuesday’s final round two strokes in front of Greater Bangor Open winner James Thresher and 1996 Maine Open champion Geoffrey Sisk at 5-under.

Starting on the back nine, Dornes was 3-under at the turn. Then, as the rain became a little steadier, sandwiched four birdies around a bogey on the par-4 second to take the lead before adding another birdie on the par-4 eighth to make it a two-shot lead. 

“It came down pretty hard a few times out there,” Dornes said. “But I just got it in the fairways and took advantage of having wedge into a lot of greens.”

Coming off a four-stroke victory at the Greater Bangor Open on Saturday, Thresher had plenty of momentum heading into Monday.

Not only was momentum on the 28-year-old West Suffield, Conn., native’s side, Mother Nature gave him and his morning cohorts a boost, too. 

“Coming from Bangor, the greens were definitely a little quicker,” Thresher said. “This morning, there’s no wind, it’s cloudy, absolutely perfect scoring conditions. Couldn’t ask for better weather.”

Thresher started his round with a birdie at one, then hit masterful approach shots to string a series of birdies together on four, five and six. On the back nine, he more than made up made up for a bogey at 11 with birdies at 16 and 18.

“Putting was definitely key at the final round of Bangor. I still did pretty well today, but didn’t make as many putts as I did in Bangor,” said Thresher, who has won the Massachusetts Open the past two years. “I didn’t really make any long putts today. All of the birdies were from 10 feet and under.”

Michael Carbone, the 2011 champion, highlights a trio tied for third at 4-under, along with Chris Kennedy and David Denlinger.

Two more former champions, Matt Campbell (2015) and Cape Elizabeth’s Shawn Warren (2004 as an amateur) finished among a quartet tied for seventh at 3-under, along with Ryan Gildersleeve and Ryan Lenahan.

“I left a few birdies out there,” Campbell said. “I’ve been scoring well, but haven’t been hitting it that well, so anything under par is pretty good here now. I just didn’t birdie the easy holes and left some shots out there, but I didn’t really shoot myself out of it quite yet.”

Campbell, of Rome, N.Y., shook off the rust of a two-week break after playing in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, Wis. and finished third at Greater Bangor at 10-under. 

“I missed the cut (at the Open), but it was just a cool experience,” he said. “It was my first PGA Tour event, my first major championship, and just the experience and the guys were great. They treated you well.”

Minot’s Will Kannegieser and Auburn’s Craig Chapman tied for first among amateurs with an even-par 70, joining fellow Mainers Sam Grindle of Deer Isle and Ricky Jones of Thomaston, who won the tournament in 2006 as an amateur.

Kannegieser, who recently completed his freshman year at Williams College, overcame a bogey on the par-4 first hole with birdies at the next two par-4s, three and six. He was 1-under at the turn and 2-under through 11 before falling back with bogeys at 12, 16 and 17. A birdie at the par-5 18th brought him back to even.

“It didn’t really rain until the 12th or 13th hole and it was only drizzle when it came, so I never had to put on rain gear, which was nice,” he said. “I got off to a little bit of a rocky start, but I fought back. I had it going good and came to the last few holes, and I always struggle here on the last couple. But I made it work and got through the round, which I can work from. The birdie on 18 was a good one to end on. I made a nice 10-footer.”

Ricky Stimets of Osterville, Mass., was among those thrown off by the afternoon rain. He was threatening the leaderboard after birdies on four of the first five holes, but shot 3-over on the back, including a double-bogey at the par-14 12th to finish 1-under 69, tied for 17th.

“(In the) rain, I started to shorten up the swing and hit it off-line a little bit and the putts weren’t dropping,” said Stimets, playing in his fourth Maine Open. “I haven’t played a tournament round in the rain for a while, so it was just a little different. I wish I had a caddie. The clubs were a little wet.”

Defending champion Ted Brown carded a plus-1 71. Thirteen-time Maine Amateur champion Mark Plummer of Manchester finished plus-3 at 73.

Among local golfers competing: Brian Bilodeau of Auburn (plus-3), Eric Aguiar of Farmington (plus-4), Chad Hopkins of Lewiston (plus-6), Jace Pearson of Auburn (plus-8), Taylor Morang of Winthrop (plus-8).

Golfers scoring plus-5 or better made the cut for Tuesday. The first group tees off at 7 a.m. Dornes, Thresher and Sisk tee off at 12:40 p.m. The winner takes home a $9,000 check.

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