ORONO – This year’s Maine Amateur Golf Championship will be the last one using the match-play format.

The Maine State Golf Association Board of Directors and the Tournament Committee voted Thursday to follow the results of a survey of the players and return to a three-day, 54-hole, stroke-play format for next year’s Amateur at Portland Country Club in Falmouth Foreside.

“Fifty-eight percent voted for stroke play,” said Tournament Director Romeo Laberge on Tuesday after overseeing the Maine Amateur qualifier at Penobscot Valley Country Club.

Most of the comments, according to Laberge, concerned the length of the event. This year’s tourney is scheduled for July 11-15 at Boothbay Country Club.

“Most said the week was too long,” he said. “It was hard to commit that much time. Five days was getting to be too much.”

Under the current setup, the first two days are stroke-play qualifying. The top 32 (with a playoff if ties extend the number beyond 32) advance to the first round of match play on the third day. The fourth day has the round of 16 in the morning and the quarterfinal matches in the afternoon.

The final day will have the semifinal matches in the morning and the final in the afternoon. That amounts to approximately seven rounds over the five days.

“‘It was tough on the older guys, too,” said Laberge. “‘Two matches in one day is a lot.”

There is another factor, too.

“Plus play is down a bit over the last two years,” said Laberge. Only 23 signed up for Tuesday’s qualifier at PVCC. More than 100 are registered for the Brunswick qualifier and 87 for the one at Nonesuch Golf Club in Scarborough.

“‘We had 258 sign up this year, including the exempt players,” said Laberge.

“‘Next year, we’ll have over 300, easily. Maybe 320, 325.”

From 1918 through 1973, the format was one day of qualifying followed by three days of match play. From 1974 through 1999, it was stroke play. Then it was back to stroke-play qualifying and match play.

Now, it’ll be back to medal play. After the first two days with everyone playing, the field will be cut for the final round. That will put Maine back in some select company.

“Vermont is the only New England state with strictly stroke play (to determine its Amateur champion),” said Laberge.

Pion to turn pro

Corey Pion, the former Husson College star, has decided to turn pro earlier than he expected. He plans to tee it up as a pro for the first time at the Greater Bangor Open in July.

“I was going to wait until the fall,” said Pion. He didn’t get his Maine Amateur entry in on time, so moved up the date.

He has already started the process.

“I passed my Player Ability Test on June 8 at Riverside (Municipal Golf Course in Portland),” said Pion. “There were 42 guys and I came in second with (rounds of) 73-72.”

Pion said the players had to finish with a two-round score of 15 over the course rating (70.3) or better.

“Only eight made it,” he said. “I was surprised. The tees were all in the normal places and the pins were all in the middle (of the greens).”

He plans on making the official announcement soon.

“I’ll declare in the next week or so,” he said.

The bad news, he said, is the entry fees are much higher for pros than amateurs in the same tournament.

The good news: no more playing for shop credit,” he said.

“I’ve got everything I need,” Pion said. “Cash would be nice.”

He plans on trying to find a sponsor or another way to compete in mini-tour events over the winter, but eventually he would like to be a head pro.

“Right now, I’m a shop assistant,” he said, “but when I declare, I’ll become an assistant pro.”

Every journey begins with the first step.

Dave Barber can be reached at 990-8170, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.