The New England Junior golf championships begin today at Biddeford-Saco Country Club in Saco.

Bangor’s Jesse Speirs, who recently finished in the top 16 at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and was the second amateur in the Maine Open, will lead the Maine team as they try to defend the title. Nick Boutin and Bryce Fearon, who will be seniors at Thornton Academy are also on the squad, along with Waterville’s Toby Spector, Cumberland’s Will Robinson, Topsham’s Victor Linkovich and Oxford’s Joe Baker.

Five of the Maine players are 17 while Speirs and Linkovich are just 16. Speirs is making his third appearance in the event, and he won it individually last year.

The format is 54 holes of stroke play. The golfers will play 36 holes on Monday and will finish up with an 18-hole round Tuesday morning. The best five scores from each round will count toward team scores.