SACO – Mark Plummer of Manchester has been a legendary player in Maine golf circles, winning the Maine Amateur Golf Championship 13 times starting with his first one in 1973.

He’s in the running for another one after firing a 1-under-par 70 at Biddeford-Saco Country Club in Tuesday’s opening round of the 89th edition of the tournament, three strokes behind leader Ryan Gay, a fellow member of Augusta Country Club in Manchester.

Two-time former Maine Amateur champ Ricky Jones of Thomaston is in second with a 69, while Shawn Keenan of Embden and Tobey Buteau of Scarborough are tied for third with Plummer. Keegan Fennessy of Minot and Scott Sirois of Portland are at even par.

At age 56, Plummer now takes a different approach to tournament golf.

“This is the only one I get too serious about,” said Plummer. “The others are all fun now.”

It wasn’t always so much fun, even his victories, which included 12 Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournaments, a Greater Bangor Open title as an amateur and a Casco Bay Classic win as an amateur. He has also won the New England Amateur and the State of Maine Championship.

“There were quite a few years when everybody thought I should win,” said Plummer, “so I probably felt like I should win.

“I don’t miss that part. It’s more fun being a darkhorse.”

Plummer said he has an idea now of what he put other players through when he was in his prime.

Actually, he believes it’s more difficult to stand out.

“I think players know they’ve got to play better now,” said Plummer. “The caliber of player now is better than it was 20 or 25 years ago.

“It used to be if you were around par, you’d be somewhere near the lead. With the kids now, you have to be under par all three days.”

With so many more players being close in ability, it has changed players’ strategy.

“The mindset is a little different now,” said Plummer. “Not necessarily in the first round, but you’ve got to play more aggressively.”

“I guess Ryan, for me, is like getting in a way-back machine,” added Plummer, thinking back to his early playing days. “I’d like to see him win this. The enthusiasm he has reminds me of the way I was back then.”

Plummer gives credit to the junior program conducted by the Maine State Golf Association, which also puts on the Maine Amateur.

“It’s quite a tribute to the junior program the MSGA has had the last few years,” he said.

Plummer is especially impressed with the demeanor of the young players like the 16-year-old Gay, the similarly aged David Gushee of Gorham and others.

“He’s a real nice kid,” said Plummer of Gay. “We play a lot together.”

“They’re all nice kids,” added Plummer. “[MSGA executive director] Nancy [DeFrancesco] didn’t put up with any shenanigans.”

Plummer was cruising along at 3 under par until he bogeyed three straight holes, starting with No. 13, then he birdied 16 and parred the last two.

Jones was hot with his putter, which was good because he was a little wayward with his driver.

He needed only 22 putts. He made one from 20 feet and rolled in a 40-footer from off the green.

“I stole it,” he said with a little laugh. “It was one of those days.”

Keenan, at 17 another of the kids, came in late with his 70, making birdies on the last two holes. He almost made eagle twice on the same shot on the final hole, a 333-yard, dogleg right par 4.

“I hit a sand wedge from 100 yards,” he said. “It almost flew into the hole, then it almost spun back in.”

He tapped in from a foot for birdie and his 70.

Defending champion Eric Higgins of Kennebunk was off the pace at 75, and Jesse Speirs of Bangor finished with a 76 that included a quintuple-bogey 9 on the ninth hole.

Joe Alvarez of Hampden, the winner of last month’s Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur, posted a 74.

After today’s round, the field will be cut to the low 40 and ties for Thursday’s 18-hole finale.

dbarber@bangordailynews.net

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