Two prestigious tournaments – the Charlie’s Maine Open and the Maine Women’s Amateur – get under way Monday.

The Charlie’s Maine Open is a 36-hole tournament with a projected field of 150 at Augusta Country Club in Manchester. The field comprises mini-tour players, New England and Maine pros, and top amateurs.

The Women’s Amateur, held this year at Biddeford-Saco Country Club, is a 54-hole tournament with 81 players. Leslie Guenther of Hebron is the defending champion. Last year at Waterville Country Club, Guenther shot rounds of 75 and 82 (the first round was rained out) to win her first state title to go with her four Southern Maine championships.

Guenther has played Biddeford-Saco on numerous occasions. A week ago she played a practice round with her husband.

“I thought the golf course was in great shape,” said Guenther, the athletic director at Hebron Academy. “There are no quirky holes. You have to keep the ball in the fairway. Ball placement is important.”

Biddeford-Saco has several undulating greens that will require extra attention.

Among the other players who could challenge for the title are two-time champion Emily Bouchard of Saco. With a 1.5 index, she has the lowest handicap in the tournament.

“The greens at Biddeford-Saco have a tendency to be fast,” Bouchard said. “There’s certainly a chance to shoot some low numbers out there, but it could also flip around with some high numbers being posted.

“I think you’ll see the winner come out of the first three to four, maybe five groups.”

Bailey Plourde of Newcastle, one of the six junior players in the tournament, carries a 3.0 handicap.

A new player to the tournament is Staci Creech of Bangor, who has a 3.2 index. Creech tied for third earlier this month in the New England Women’s Amateur at Ledgemont Country Club in Seekonk, Massachusetts, shooting rounds of 75, 73 and 79. She finished 11 shots out of first.

Other top players include Kristin Kannegieser, Mary Brandes, Monica Austin, Kathi O’Grady, Liz Coffin and Laurie Hyndman.

At THE CHARLIE’S Maine Open, Andrew Mason of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, is back to defend his title. The tournament was shortened to one round last year because of heavy rain, and Mason shot a 62 to win by two shots.

Former Maine Amateur winner Jesse Speirs, a pro now living in Memphis, Tennessee, is entered. Some of the Maine pros entered are Shawn Warren of Cape Elizabeth, John Hickson of Topsham, Jeff Seavey of Rockport and Ryan Gay of Pittston. Leading Maine amateurs are Mark Plummer of Manchester, Sam Grindle of Deer Isle, Jason Gall of Augusta, Ricky Jones of Thomaston, Joe Alvarez of North Berwick, Andrew Slattery of Minot and Gary Manoogian of Westbrook.

New England pros to watch include John Elliott of Westerly, Rhode Island; Kirk Hanefeld of Acton, Massachusetts; Jason Parajeckas of Woburn, Massachusetts; and Michael Welch of Quincy, Massachusetts.

“If the rough is deep and the greens are fast, it’s all about putting your shots in good spots,” said Seavey.

“We played Augusta a week and a half ago in the pro-am championship and the rough wasn’t that high or the greens that fast. They can make the course as tough as they want. You’re going to have to make a lot of birdies.”

The winning pro will receive $10,000.

TEE TO GREEN: The Lano Family Foundation will hold its third annual Action Andy Memorial Classic at Val Halla Golf Course on Saturday. Registration opens at 11 a.m. with the tournament beginning at 1 p.m. Proceeds will help fund a college scholarship for a Portland High athlete. This year’s Handy Andy Lano Scholarship winner is Ryan Ruhlin, a 2015 Portland High graduate. Foursomes are still available for $500, which includes golf, cart, gift bag, dinner and prizes. For details go to www.thelanofamilyfoundation.org. …

The United States Golf Association has officially designated this Wednesday as Play9 Day. The USGA is promoting nine holes as an alternative to 18. The USGA has deployed a national awareness campaign to encourage participation from state associations and golf courses. …

The seventh annual Auto Buying Assistant Charity Tournament will be played Sept. 13 at Toddy Brook Golf Course in North Yarmouth. It’s a scramble format with an entry fee of $400 per team. The tournament charity is the Portland Firefighters’ Children’s Burn Foundation. Registration forms are at www.autobuyingassistant.com/community.

 

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