CAPE ELIZABETH — Maine Golf is pleased to be hosting the 105th Maine Amateur Championship at Purpoodock Club on July 9-11, 2024. The tournament host course, which sits in Cape Elizabeth just outside of downtown Portland, has played host to numerous Maine Golf championships throughout the years, and this marks the fourth time hosting the Maine Amateur Championship. Purpoodock last held the Amateur in 2000, when Mark Plummer won the 11th of his record 13 titles.

Last year’s Maine Amateur Championship was at Samoset Resort in Rockport and won by Topsham’s Caleb Manuel. The 21-year old representing Brunswick GC shot rounds of 67-68-65 en route to a score of 200 (-13) to win his third consecutive Maine Amateur title. His three-round total of 200 strokes set the tournament record, and was 11 strokes clear of runner-up Ron Kelton.

Manuel is not in the field to defend his titles this year, having recently turned professional and coming off a second place finish in last week’s Charlie’s Maine Open in just his second pro start. Similar to Manuel, the last two winners of the Maine Amateur before him are also not in the field. Jack Wyman (2017, 2018) and Cole Anderson (2019, 2020) have also since turned professional after winning back-to-back Amateur titles.

This year saw a record 417 players attempt to qualify for a chance to compete in Maine Golf’s longest running and most prestigious men’s amateur event. Competing at six qualifying sites in June across the state from Saco to Presque Isle, 77 of those 417 players advanced to the championship proper via qualifying, joining 55 players who were already otherwise exempt. The final field of 132 players come from all corners of the state, representing 14 of Maine’s 16 counties.

The tournament will begin on Tuesday, July 9, 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 reigning men’s amateur winners from the previous year. This year’s first pairing features John Hayes (2024 Mid-Amateur), Austin Stromick (2023 Junior Amateur), and Keith Patterson (2023 Senior Amateur). Hayes is one of just three past champions in the field this year, along with Ricky Jones (2003, 2004, 2013) and Andrew Slattery (2014).

The Maine Amateur Championship is a 54-hole individual stroke play competition. New for the 2024 championship is that the cut has been expanded to the low 50 players plus ties after two rounds, with those players advancing to the final round. The amount of exemptions available for next year’s event will remain at 40 plus ties as in years past, but by expanding the cut to 50 players, it should make for a much more exciting and enticing third round for those going out early on Thursday as they try to earn one of those coveted exemptions into next year’s tournament.

Also new for the 2024 Maine Amateur Championship is an automatic berth for the winner into the United States Amateur Championship. This recent change by the USGA now grants the winner of all men’s state Amateur Championships an entry into the most prestigious amateur tournament in the world. This year’s U.S. Am will be at Hazeltine National GC in Minnesota this August, where one Mainer is guaranteed a spot among the best amateurs in the world.

Additionally, the top 16 finishers (and ties) from the field will earn a berth in the 2024 Match Play Invitational, to be played at Riverside GC (North) on August 5-7.

Fun Facts:

  • The field is comprised of 132 players representing 42 different golf clubs from across the state of Maine.
  • Waterville CC has the most players in the field with 13, followed by Brunswick GC at 11, then Biddeford-Saco CC, Martindale CC, and Val Halla GC with 8. Rounding out the most represented clubs are Portland CC and hosts Purpoodock Club, with 7 players competing each.
  • 14 of Maine’s 16 counties have at least one player in the field.
  • The oldest player in the field is Guy Lansing at age 65. There are 7 players tied for the youngest in the field at age 16: Michael Bruce, Austin Gould, Andrew Goulet, Joe Hansen, Mick Madden, Jack Quinn, and SJ Welch.
  • The average age for the field is 34.6 years old.
  • There is one father/son duo in the field, with Jon Moody and his son Jacob representing Waterville CC.
  • There are 36 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 in consecutive years, starting with Jack Wyman (2018-19), Cole Anderson (2020-21), then Caleb Manuel the last three summers.
  • It’s been nearly three decades since a playoff decided the tournament champion. The last tie after regulation came in 1998, when Eric Crouse defeated Mark Plummer in extra holes at Kebo Valley Club.

Field:

The field is made up of 132 players from the following 42 golf clubs, with the number of players from that club in parentheses: Augusta (5), Bangor Municipal (2), Barnes Brook (2), Barren View (1), Bethell Inn & CC (1), Biddeford-Saco (8), Brunswick (11), Deep Brook (1), Dunegrass (1), Dutch Elm (1), Fairlawn (1), Falmouth (2), Fogg Brook (1), Fox Ridge (5), Goose River (1), Hermon Meadow (1), Jato Highlands (2), Kebo Valley (2), The Ledges (2), Martindale (8), Natanis (1), Nonesuch River (2), Northeast Harbor (1), Northport (1), Norway (2), Old Marsh (1), Penobscot Valley (5), Point Sebago (2), Portland (7), Presque Isle (4), Prouts Neck (2), Purpoodock (7), Riverside (1), Rockland (1), Samoset (3), Sanford (2), Val Halla (8), Waterville (13), Webhannet (5), Willowdale (1), The Woodlands (4), and York (1).

Championship:

The tournament consists of 54 holes of individual stroke play. The field will be cut to the low 50 players and ties after 36 holes. After 54 holes, the low 40 finishers and ties will be exempt into the 2025 Maine Amateur Championship at Waterville CC.

The course will play as a par 71 and will measure approximately 6,400 yards for the championship.

Schedule of Events: 

Tuesday, July 9:          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 10:  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 11:      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, including the media, are welcome to come out and watch the championship. However, parking is limited on site and is reserved for players and Purpoodock members only. Spectators, caddies, Maine Golf staff, and members of the media will be required to park at Gull Crest Field (approximately 1.5 miles from the club on Spurwink Avenue). The club has hired Atlantic Limousine as a shuttle service from 6:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. all three days of the competition.

We ask that spectators keep their distance from the players and watch the play from afar. No spectator carts will be allowed for the championship.

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