Jones takes swing at defense of title Thomaston golfer fires 3-under 69

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SANFORD – Ricky Jones of Thomaston put himself in prime position to defend his Maine Amateur Golf Championship crown by finishing as medalist during the two-day qualifying for the match play competition which will decide the tournament.

Jones fired a 3-under-par 69 at Sanford Country Club Tuesday to finish with a two-day total of 4-under-par 140, four strokes clear of the next-closest qualifiers.

“Today was relaxing,” said Jones. “I birdied the first three holes. After that, I was pretty much just having fun.”

Corey Poulin of Skowhegan and John Bauman of Kennebunk each posted 144 to finish as runners-up to Jones. Poulin, who had Monday’s best round of 70, shot a 74 Tuesday, and Bauman added a 71 Tuesday to his opening 73.

Also lurking among the top players is 13-time Maine Amateur champ Mark Plummer of Manchester, who also shot a 71 Tuesday for a 146 and was fourth among the qualifiers.

One spot back was Scott Dewitt of Biddeford (72-147), who eliminated Plummer in the quarterfinals of last year’s tournament at Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono.

Joe Alvarez of Holden also fired a 71 to tie Todd Kirn of Sanford for sixth place at 148. Kirn carded a second straight 74.

Jay Livingston of Kennebunkport, runner-up to Jones last year, posted 73-149, and Toby Spector of Waterville recorded a second 75 for 150 and ninth place.

J.J. Frost struggled to a 79 Friday, but tied for 11th at 152, and Joe Finemore of Winslow, a stalwart player for Husson College who graduated in May, was one of 16 beneficiaries of this year’s expanded match play field. For the past three years, only the top 16 advanced to match play, but the Maine State Golf Association officials, bowing to the wishes of the players, doubled it to 32 this year and added an extra day of play. Finemore tied for 18th with 78-154.

Jones is eager to get started with match play.

“I like match play,” said Jones. “The only person I’ve lost to is Mark [Plummer] in the three years of match play.

“So as long as I don’t draw him….”

The way the pairings worked out, Jones won’t face Plummer until Friday’s semifinals.

Jones isn’t thinking that far ahead, though.

“I’ve been playing just about every day,” said Jones. “I’ve been playing well. Yesterday [Monday] was my worst day striking the ball in a while and I still got it around.”

While the difference between his rounds was only two strokes, Jones said Tuesday’s round was much better.

“To me there was a huge difference,” he said. “Having a 10-foot putt for birdie and missing is not a big deal, chipping and putting for pars is.

“What I learned is that you can play bad and still turn in a [decent] number.”

Finemore thinks match play will suit him just fine.

“I had three double bogeys [Tuesday]. I played awful,” said Finemore.

But match play will minimize the impact of double bogeys, he said. A double bogey might mean losing a hole but not the whole match.

“Match play is back and forth on every hole,” he said.

“I’ll play aggressively but play safe at the same time,” he added. “I’ll play for whatever wins.”

Both Jones and Finemore said Sanford was playing difficultly.

“[Holes] six, seven, and eight are probably the three toughest holes,” said Jones. He was referring to the normal 15th, 16th, and 17th holes. The MSGA has reversed the nines for this tournament.

“I parred all three,” said Jones. “That’s good enough.”

The third hole is playing as a short par 5, but it’s not easy.

“The fairway is tight,” he said. “If you can hit it straight, you get rewarded.”

Finemore found that to be the case for most of the course.

“I played here a while ago, and they seem to have pulled the fairways in and grown up the rough,” he said. “You have to keep the ball in play.”

The winners of today’s 16 matches advance to the second round Thursday morning. And those eight winners will play Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals.

The semifinals are Friday morning, with the last two players squaring off Friday afternoon for the title.

The schedule doesn’t seem so daunting to Jones, who has already notched a victory in last month’s Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament.

“When you’re playing well, you always look forward to the next day,” he said.