104th MAINE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Samoset Resort GC | Rockport, ME | July 11-13, 2023

Maine Golf is pleased to be hosting the 104th Maine Amateur Championship at the Samoset Resort on July 11-13, 2023. The par-71 tournament host course in the town of Rockport features a diverse offering of holes for this year’s field, from doglegs cut through the woods to some stunning oceanside links holes holes which run alongside the rocky coast of the Atlantic. The Samoset Resort has been welcoming guests to their oceanfront property for over a century, and while Samoset has hosted numerous Maine Golf events over the years, this marks the first time the Amateur has been contested at the course.

Last year’s Maine Amateur Championship was at Webhannet GC in Kennebunk and won by Topsham’s Caleb Manuel. The 21-year old representing Brunswick GC shot rounds of 72-63-72 en route to a score of 207 (-6) to win his second consecutive Maine Amateur title, adding to his win from the year before at Kebo Valley GC.

Manuel will be back to defend his title and is seeking his third straight victory in the Amateur, a feat only accomplished by two men in tournament history. Dick Diversi won the tournament a record five straight times from 1953 to 1957. Mark Plummer won three in a row on two occasions over the course of his 13 overall Maine Am titles, first in 1982 to 1984 and again from 2000 to 2002. Manuel will be joined by John Hayes, Ricky Jones, and Andrew Slattery as the only former champions in the field in this year’s tournament.

This year saw a record 390 players attempt to qualify for a chance to compete in Maine Golf’s longest running and most prestigious men’s amateur event. Competing at five qualifying sites in June across the state, 84 of those 390 players advanced to the championship proper via qualifying, joining 48 players who were already otherwise exempt. The final field of 132 players come from all corners of the state, representing 13 of Maine’s 16 counties.

The tournament will begin on Tuesday, July 11, with the field going off of tees #1 and #10 starting at 7:30 a.m. In keeping with tradition, the first group off hole #1 features the reigning Amateur, Mid-Amateur, and Senior Amateur champions paired together to get the tournament started. Manuel (Amateur) will be joined by Ricky Jones (Mid-Amateur) and Keith Patterson (Senior Amateur) in the opening pairing.

The Maine Amateur Championship is a 54-hole stroke play competition. The field for the championship will be cut to the low 40 players plus ties after two rounds, with those players advancing to Thursday’s final round. Any player that makes the cut will be exempt from qualifying for the 2024 Maine Amateur Championship at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth.

Additionally, the top 16 finishers from the field will earn a berth in the 2023 Match Play Invitational, to be played at Biddeford-Saco CC on August 7-9.

Fun Facts:

  • The field is comprised of 132 players representing 41 different golf clubs from across the state of Maine.
  • Val Halla GC has the most players in the field with 14, followed by Brunswick GC (12), Biddeford-Saco CC (10), Portland CC (7), Martindale CC (6), and Purpoodock Club (6). Host club Samoset Resort GC has 4 players competing, including three-time Maine Amateur champion Ricky Jones.
  • 13 of Maine’s 16 counties have at least one player in the field.
  • The oldest player in the field is Gary Manoogian at age 66. The youngest players in the field are Joe Hansen, Mick Madden, Jack Quinn, and SJ Welch at age 15.
  • The average age for the field is 33.9 years old.
  • There are 30 players in the field with a Handicap Index of 0.0 or better. The average Handicap Index for the field is 1.7.
  • The last three Maine Amateur champions have won back-to-back years, starting with Jack Wyman (2017-18), then Cole Anderson (2019-20), followed by Manuel the last two summers.

Field:

The field is made up of 132 players from the following 41 golf clubs, with the number of players from that club in parentheses: Augusta (5), Bangor Municipal (2), Barnes Brook (3), Barren View (1), Biddeford-Saco (10), Blue Hill (1), Boothbay Harbor (1), Brunswick (12), Cape Arundel (1), Deep Brook (1), Dunegrass (1), Fairlawn (3), Falmouth (2), Fogg Brook (1), Fox Ridge (4), Goose River (1) , Kebo Valley (2), Maine Golf Center Freeport (1), Martindale (6), Natanis (2), Nonesuch River (1), Northport (1), Norway (1), Old Marsh (1), Penobscot Valley (5), Point Sebago (2), Portland (7), Presque Isle (1), Prouts Neck (2), Purpoodock (6), Riverside (2), Samoset (4), Sanford (2), Spring Meadows (1), Springbrook (1), Val Halla (14), Waterville (5), Webhannet (3), Willowdale (2), The Woodlands (5), York (2).

Championship:

The tournament consists of 132 players competing in 54 holes of stroke play. The field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after 36 holes. The course will play as a par 71 and will measure approximately 6,500 yards for the championship.

Schedule of Events: 

Tuesday, July 11: 7:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. (morning wave); 12:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. (afternoon wave); play will begin on holes #1 and #10.      

Wednesday, July 12: 7:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. (morning wave); 12:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. (afternoon wave); play will begin on holes #1 and #10.    

Thursday, July 13: 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (approx.); all play will begin on hole #1.

In the event of a tie after 54 holes, the winner will be decided immediately by a hole-by-hole playoff.

Spectators:

Spectators are welcome to come out and watch the championship. We ask that you keep your distance from the players and watch the play from afar. No spectator carts will be allowed for the championship.

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