ORONO – I can no longer refer to her as “little” Abby Spector.

At 13, and the brightest young star on the Maine golf scene, she has grown more in a year than I had expected.

So much so, we stand eye-to-eye when I’m stretching myself to my full 5-feet, 2 1/2-inches. If I didn’t do that, I would probably be looking up at her. She has grown and she has matured. But she has not changed at all.

Abby Spector of Gardiner is still one of the nicest young ladies I know.

Were there a title of “defending champion” for the third annual Barbara Leavitt Memorial Golf Classic at the Penobscot Valley Country Club here Monday, it would be shared by Abby and one of her three partners, Blanca Wales-Pickering of Old Town.

Last year they won the Classic with Jimmy Fund Executive Director Mike Andrews and Jay Kremin of Hermon, who was in a foursome Monday with former Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee. The Spector group recorded a 63 last year, tying another foursome but winning after matching cards.

This event – that honors former NEWS Executive Sports Editor Bud Leavitt’s late wife, Barbara, and benefits the Jimmy Fund, – is a best-ball, scramble format. With different foursomes each year, there is no defending champ.

Naturally, Blanca and Abby would like to win again, but it is important for Abby to be in the tournment and playing “Penobby.”

Abby Spector is no stranger to cancer. That is why she plays this tournament. It is a way to honor her mother, who died of the disease in 1989. But there was a double incentive this year with the Maine women’s amateur championship coming to the PVCC in August.

Playing the course prior to a tournament always helps. It is especially so for Abby to be out with Blanca, a PVCC member. In fact, the two are going to get in a few more rounds when Abby visits the Pickerings for a few days and they compete in the PVCC member-guest tournament.

Monday, the female contingent led the charge with two pleased-as-punch partners, Robbie Robinson and Alan Ingraham.

Robinson was a last-minute sub for the Dead River Co. and was happy to be on the course on such a golf-perfect day. Ingraham was mighty impressed with Abby, whose ball the foursome frequently chose as the best.

“At least,” Ingraham quipped, “we use our ballmarkers.”

Abby Spector’s game is no longer a little girl’s game. When she started shooting in the 70s, her father Gary said it was time for him to back out of He started Abby in the sport at Squaw Mountain Resort in Greenville when she was 4. But it is her game now, and he knows it. He considers it a privilege to caddy for his daughter, whose golf instructions come from professionals.

As she matures, Abby Spector is becoming a stronger golfer. To discipline herself not to overhit she was using a 3-wood Monday rather than a driver. Her shots off the tee were still good and long, in the 200-yard range into the wind.

Don’t be surprised to find Abby Spector on the leader board in the Maine women’s tournament, if she can string together three good days. She has already beaten defending champion Rindy Garner.

During a recent Women’s Maine State Golf Association state day at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth, Garner was in the clubhouse with a 79. In the wind and rain, Abby eagled 17 and birdied 18 to post a 77.

She has also shot a 33 this year on the par-34 front nine at Kennebec Heights in Farmingdale.

It is difficult to believe, watching this golfer’s poise and strength, that she will be entering the eighth grade this fall.

As Abby and Blanca walked toward a green here Monday, it was equally difficult to remember that one friend is 16 years younger than the other.

They were a good pair, Abby and Blanca. They were having fun on Monday, all the while adjusting their games.

Abby was cutting back on her drives to get more practice with her irons. Blanca was getting used to new clubs. She made the mistake of not locking her car one night. The next day, they were gone. Adjusting to a new driver wasn’t as difficult as adjusting to a new putter, she said.

There were lots of adjustments by this foursome. However, two happy gentlemen had no problem adjusting to the fact they were playing best-ball with a 13-year-old girl and using her ball.