The coronavirus knocked out the Charlie’s Maine Open. Fortunately for the state’s top players, a backup plan was in the works.

Plans are being finalized for a replacement event for the Open, Maine State Golf Association executive director Brian Bickford said Wednesday. The new tournament, called the Maine Event, will be a 36-hole tournament with a targeted date of Aug. 12-13 at Augusta Country Club, where the Open would have been played.

Quarantine restrictions on visitors from out of state that were in place forced the MSGA to cancel the Open in May, but the new event will be limited to only Maine players.

“We didn’t want to have a hole in our schedule,” Bickford said. “We thought ‘Why not try to pull this together … (and) support another championship event in a season where championships or top-quality golf could be limited for some of Maine’s better players.’ ”

Jack Wyman, a professional from South Freeport, said he’s intending to play and eager to have a chance to compete after the Maine Open was called off.

“That’s a great substitute,” said Wyman, who won Maine Amateur crowns in 2o17 and ’18 before turning pro last year. “That’s kind of what I was hoping would happen, and I’m just thrilled that in such short time they were able to get it done. … We’re all just really lucky at this point to have something to put on the calendar.”

The event, Bickford said, is designed to determine Maine’s best player. The field will be open to golfers from all categories, with everyone playing together. Maine pros will play alongside amateurs, juniors will play with seniors, and men will play with women. The pros will have the opportunity to win money.

“The coolest part for me is … they want to find the best golfer in the state, regardless of professional, amateur, whatever it is,” said Cole Anderson, the defending Maine Am champion. “(It’s) obviously exciting for guys with the competitive spirit that want to be a part of that. It’s an exciting opportunity for Maine golf in general.”

Bickford says that will make for a competitive and compelling atmosphere.

“Instead of excluding people, I like to run events that include everybody,” Bickford said. “Think about (Falmouth Country Club professional) Shawn Warren playing against Cole Anderson and Caleb Manuel. … And then you can’t forget Mark Plummer, because it’s going to be at Mark’s course.

“That’s fun stuff. For every good amateur, there’s a good pro. And for every good pro, there’s a good amateur.”

Anderson said the event could provide a good measuring stick for the state’s best up-and-coming players.

“I think there’s an opportunity for it to be something the state hasn’t seen,” he said. “If it is as inclusive as (Bickford) made it seem, there will be an opportunity for it to be a very big field, which is cool in itself. You just don’t see a ton of that up here.”

Bickford said the event should draw more Maine pros than the Open had been pulling in, and that more local names could spark fan interest. While the Open was often decided from pros outside of the state and even New England, the Maine Event will feature players from the Maine golf community battling for the top prize.

“I think that makes a big difference,” Bickford said. “People might like to come out and see some really neat golf at Augusta Country Club played by Mainers. We get a decent crowd (during the Open), but when the guy from the University of Texas is playing the guy from the University of Nevada, you don’t even know who they are.”

The event will be sponsored again by Charlie’s Motor Mall, and the plan is for entry fees to be $185 for professionals, $125 for amateurs and $70 for juniors. A registration deadline has not been set. Bickford said there are also plans for a drive, chip and putt competition that will be open to all players.

Bickford said he had been thinking about this kind of tournament before this season, and that the MSGA was probably a year or two from trying it out. 

When the pandemic arrived, however, plans changed.

“The elimination of the Open just made this even more of a ‘Hey, let’s do it this year (plan),’ ” Bickford said. “The thought may have been, originally, let’s talk it through, let’s get this plan, let’s get it on the schedule and let’s do it next year. But we wanted to move it up and go with it.”

Wyman is happy they did.

“You can pull all the talent in from all corners and see where everyone stands,” he said. “I think this will be a really cool test.”

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