AUBURN – Mike Baker of Glen, N.H., and Rob Corcoran of Melbourne, Fla., took different paths Tuesday, but they ended up in the same place – tied for the lead after the first round of the 88th Charlie’s Maine Open Golf Championship.

Baker, a Hermon native, hit 17 greens in regulation while Corcoran had a hot putter as they both finished at 3-under-par 69 at Fox Ridge Golf Club.

They hold a one-stroke edge over amateur Ricky Jones of Thomaston and a two-stroke lead over Don Robertson of Irving, Texas.

Those four were the only ones to shoot under par as the club, which is hosting the tournament for the first time, took its toll on the field of slightly more than 100 players.

“A little bit of a mishit here or there and you’re dropping a ball,” said Baker.

John Connelly of Oregon, Ohio, who tied for second last year, parred his first 12 holes but had three bogeys and a birdie on the last six and finished at 74. Hampden native John Hickson of Litchfield posted a double bogey and two bogeys on the front and shot a 76, and 13-time Maine Amateur champ Mark Plummer of Manchester and Fox Ridge head pro Bob Darling Jr. of Lewiston each shot 80.

Corey Poulin of Port Charlotte, Fla., last year’s Maine Amateur champ who turned pro over the winter, finished with an 82. The highest round was a 97.

Many golfers had trouble on the 202-yard, par-3 fifth hole, which features a large, undulating green stuck on a peninsula extending well out into a pond. Fifty balls, from nearly half the field, were hit into the hazard with 46 of those ending up in the water.

After today’s second round, the top 40 and ties – plus enough amateurs to make the top 12 and ties – will advance to Thursday’s 18-hole finale.

Wind, which blew stronger and lighter and changed direction throughout the day, was one factor for the field Tuesday, and the tough greens were another.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” said Baker, whose only bogey came on 18 (which also requires an approach shot over a pond). That was also the only green he missed in regulation.

His 41/2-foot putt for par, which would have given Baker the outright lead, rolled just outside the right edge of the cup.

Still, the 44-year-old pro at Hale’s Location Resort was happy with the way his round turned out.

“You shouldn’t mess up too much if you hit all the greens,” he said.

Baker would have preferred to take fewer putts – he counted 32 among his 69 strokes. He knew it could have been much higher, though.

“You can leave yourself some wicked putts,” he said.

To minimize that, he had worked out a plan.

“I just figured my yardage to the front of the greens and hoped (the ball) would release to the hole,” he said. “I hit it in a lot of good spots today.”

Corcoran, unlike Baker, had never played Fox Ridge before. He came out Monday after the pro-am to check out the course.

“I walked it last night,” he said. “I hit a few putts on the greens, getting an idea of hole placements and speed.”

He credited that for his success, which included putts such as an 18- to 20-footer for birdie on 16.

“It definitely helped,” said the Connecticut native who moved to Florida but is teaching on Long Island this summer. “It was like (getting) the answers to the test before the test.”

Corcoran, 30, hadn’t had that feeling for a while, he said.

“I used to play full time,” he said. “(Now) not as much as in the past. My game wasn’t that good, to be honest with you. It needed a lot of changes.

“It’s starting to come around nice.”

Jones played a steady round in which he had 16 pars and two birdies, on 10 and 17.

Robertson, who won the Open in 1981, started with a bogey, birdied No. 2, and made the turn even. He added birdies on 11 and 14 but bogeyed 16 to fall back to 1 under.

Corcoran heads into the second round with one especially good feeling.

“Whatever happens, happens, but I know I’m making a paycheck regardless,” said Corcoran with a smile.