A total of 132 players will be in field this week for the Maine Men’s Amateur Golf Championship at Webhannet. A record 352 golfers played in the qualifiers. Twelve of Maine’s 16 counties are represented with contestants, and 44 of Maine’s golf courses are sending players to the tournament that runs Tuesday through Thursday.

The field contains several area players, including Will Kannegieser of Martindale, who finished one shot behind the 2021 champion, Caleb Manuel, at last year’s event at Kebo Valley.

Manuel, you might recall, qualified for the 2022 U.S. Open, a feat rarely accomplished by a Maine resident. So, Kannegieser was in rare company when he became the 2021 Maine Amateur runner-up.

Also in this year’s field is past champion Andrew Slattery, who plays out of Portland and was a leading player at Martindale for many years. Slattery tied for sixth in the 2021 Maine Amateur.

The field contains three players — James Frost of Fox Ridge, Joe Baker of Norway and Jordan Jones of Fox Ridge — who have something in common. All three finished in a tie for 22nd place in 2021.

Jace Pearson of Martindale completed last year’s Maine Amateur in 40th place.

The field will contain other area players including: Craig Chapman and Dylan Rodrigue, both of Fox Ridge; Larry Ross of Poland Spring; Ashley Fifield, Ethan Cuerette, Ted Stratman and Brian Bilodeau, all of Martindale; Dylan Burton and Spencer Brown, both of Spring Meadows; and Neil Larochelle III of The Meadows.

Joining Slattery as past champions in this tournament are: Ryan Gay, John Hayes, Ricky Jones and Mark Plummer, who will be the oldest player at age 70. He is paired for the opening rounds with Jack Quinn, who at age 14 is the youngest player in the tournament.

Webhannet does not have a practice range, so players who need one are being directed to the Hillcrest Driving Range, which is 1.5 miles from Webhannet.

The MSGA person in charge of the tournament is Randy Hodsdon, whose Maine Golf title is director of rules and competitions. There is not a person in Maine who knows more about the rules of golf than Hodsdon.

*****

July always has been one of the best months of the year for Maine golf tournaments. This year is no different.

Upcoming is the Women’s Amateur on July 19-21 at Portland. The B&C Championship is July 19-20 at Val Halla.

The month winds down with the Junior Championship on July 26-27 at Dutch Elm, and it concludes July 30 with the Mixed Championship at Fairlawn.

 

Bill Kennedy, a retired New Jersey golf writer and editor now residing on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, is in his 10th season as Sun Journal golf columnist. 

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