Egloff warms up for tourney by winning pro-am with a 65

Eric Egloff of Rockville, Md., established himself as one of the favorites for this year’s Charlie’s Maine Open Golf Championship by shooting a 7-under-par 65 at Riverside Municipal Golf Course during Tuesday’s pro-am.

Egloff, winner of the 1995 Greater Bangor Open, was runner-up in the ’96 Maine Open when it was held at Point Sebago Golf and RV Resort in Casco.

The field of 122 pros and 34 amateurs returns to the tournament’s familiar Riverside venue after two years at Point Sebago and four years rotating among four Portland-area country clubs. The Riverside site has been popular with players over the years because of its closeness to local hotels and restaurants and because of the course’s potential for yielding low scores.

The course plays over a number of hills, through stands of mature pines, and along the Presumpscot River, making accuracy as important as length. The par 5’s – the first, 10th, and 15th holes – can be reached in two shots, making for eagle opportunities.

After Thursday’s second round, the field will be cut down for Friday’s 18-hole finish.

Egloff renews his pursuit of the title today, but he will have no shortage of quality challengers.

Right behind Egloff Wednesday were Jim Nickerson of Freeport and Scott Hughes of Conway, S.C., at 66, and Bob Darling Jr. of Lewiston and Riverside assistant Dan Falcone of Portland at 67.

Nickerson is teeing off at 7:39 a.m. today with a couple of other potential contenders – 1988 GBO champ and 2000 Maine Open runner-up Rich Parker of Lebanon, N.H., and former PGA Tour player Jim Hallet.

Other visiting professionals who could contend are Jim Salinetti of Lee, Mass., winner of last year’s GBO; Dave Gunas, winner of the Greater Portland Open in June on this same course; and Billy Downes of Hampden, Mass., winner of the GBO and the New England Open in 2000.

Other top Maine pros include Mike Baker of Bradley, David Cummings of Bath, Mark Fogg of Gorham, Nick Glicos of Gorham, John Hickson of Old Orchard Beach, and Jerry Diphilippo of Falmouth.

Diphilippo won in 1995, the last time the tournament was held at Riverside. Hickson won the GBO in 1997, Baker was GBO co-champion in 1986, and Cummings won the ’94 Maine Open.

Among the amateurs, 13-time Maine Amateur champion Mark Plummer of Manchester leads the way, along with 15-year-old Jesse Speirs of Bangor, who tied for second in the GBO last month and won the Paul Bunyan Amateur in June, plus 2001 Maine Amateur runner-up Corey Poulin of Jackman, 2000 Maine Amateur runner-up Greg Hanna of Augusta, and Ben Daughan of York.