There will be a new Maine Amateur champion July 9-11 at the Portland Country Club, because defending champion Jack Wyman has turned pro.

A total of 132 players will be in the Amateur field, the 100th in Maine State Golf Association history, and they will be competing on Maine’s oldest golf course, which was founded in 1895. A total of 47 of those players earned exempt status, and 85 others secured their spot at one of three qualifiers last month. This is the 14th time that Portland has hosted the Amateur.

The oldest player in the field is Truman Libby of Springbrook, who is 73, while the youngest in the tournament is Kellen Adickes of Samoset Resort, who is just 12. He qualified by shooting 76 at the Poland Spring qualifier.

Martindale has 13 members in the competition, Biddeford-Saco 12, and Brunswick and Val Halla have 10 apiece.

It promises to be an exciting tournament.

*****

There will be “big doings” July 22-24 at the Webhannet Golf Club in Kennebunk.

Not only will the annual Maine Women’s Amateur, a three-day event, and the Maine Senior Women’s Amateur, a two-day event, be held there, but the winner of the 2019 Abby Spector Award will be announced.

This is the signature women’s golf competition of the Maine State Golf Association, and with so many promising young female golfers in the field, it should be a quality tournament, which is sponsored by the Golf & Ski Warehouse in Scarborough, the definitive place to purchase golf equipment in the Pine Tree State.

The Abby Spector Award, named after the teaching professional at Riverside, has been in existence for seven years. Abby Spector won it in 2013, the first year it was presented to a Maine female golfer. Distinguished service to golf in this state is what this ladies award is about.

Other recipients have been: 2014, Pennie Cummings/Martha White; 2015, Helen Plourd; 2016, Cindy Choate; 2017, Liz Wiltshire; and 2018, Birdie Pearse.

The selection committee includes: Vicky Lindquist, Michele Davis, Cindy Shaw, Stephanie Babin and two past Spector Award recipients, Helen Plourd and Birdie Pearse.

The nomination deadline has passed and the recipient will be informed July 8.

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A pair of Martindale foursomes finished in the money June 30 at the 19th Annual MSGA Team Championship at Belgrade Lakes.

In second place, one shot back of the championship Biddeford-Saco team were Joe Baker, Craig Chapman, Joe Pearson and Andrew Slattery (133), with a third-place showing (135) from Brian Bilodeau, Kyle Bourassa, Jeff Cole and Matt Greanleaf.

The Turner Highlands team of Timothy Doyle, Harry Haylock, Nick Hogan and Adam Poulin was second in the net scoring at 124.

*****

The Maine Chapter of the New England PGA will conduct its annual State of Maine Championship July 22-23 at Sugarloaf, one of Maine’s best golf courses.

This will be a two-round championship with five division crowns being awarded — professional, senior professional, amateur, senior amateur and junior amateur.

The entry deadline is July 17. Access the entry form at www.mechapter.com/schedule. Questions should be directed to Don Doyon at ddoyon@pgahq.com.

*****

The MSGA summer golf schedule is in full swing this week with the 100th Maine Amateur being held July 9-11 at Portland and the Weekend Tour July 12-13 at Sugarloaf.

On the women’s side, there will be the weekly Tuesday gross and net events July 9 at Cape Neddick and Turner Highlands.

Bill Kennedy, a retired New Jersey golf writer and editor, now residing on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, is in his seventh season as Sun Journal golf columnist.

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