MANCHESTER – Mark Plummer of Manchester thought Wednesday that he was in danger of not making the cut in the 82nd Maine Amateur Golf Championship at Augusta Country Club.

As the defending champion and playing at his home club, it would have been quite a shock.

“I thought I had a real good chance of not making it,” said Plummer, an 11-time winner of this tournament. “Probably in my mind I figured I had a 50-50 chance of making it.”

Plummer has never missed a cut in the Maine Amateur. He has played in 34 since competing in his first one at age 14 in 1966.

Plummer turned his tournament around by shooting a 3-under-par 67 Wednesday. Coupled with his 74 from Tuesday’s opening round, he finished stroke-play qualifying at 1-over-par 141 and tied for low total with Jon Brogan of Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth.

Brogan shot a 69 Wednesday to go with his first-round 72. Since Brogan finished before Plummer, he earned the No. 1 seed.

They topped a group of 16 who advanced to match-play competition. There will be two rounds of 18-hole matches today beginning at 8 a.m. with the semifinals and final on Friday.

Other qualifiers include 1999 Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament champion Mike Norris of Newburgh and Jeff Wass of Rockland at 143, and first-round leader Shawn Warren of Windham, Adam Williamson, and Greg Hanna of Augusta at 144. The 16-year-old Warren followed his 68 with a 76. Williamson, playing out of Oakdale Country Club in Mexico, added a 75 to an opening 69, and Hanna, last year’s runner-up, carded a 68 Wednesday.

Also, 2001 Bunyan champ Ricky Jones of Rockland, Jay Livingston and Kent Salfi out of Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, and 14-year-old Jesse Speirs of Bangor all made the cut at 146. Jones shot a 75 Wednesday, Livingston a 72, Salfi a 70, and Speirs a 74.

Plummer felt uncomfortable during Tuesday’s first round, but he wasn’t sure why. Wednesday was completely different.

“I felt comfortable today,” said Plummer. “That’s odd because today was the day I should have been more nervous.”

Plummer started with five straight pars, just missing three birdie putts along the way.

He finally made a birdie putt on No. 6, from about 10 feet, and added three more on 10, 12, and 14. His lone bogey came on No. 17, a downhill par-3 where he hit his tee shot into the back right bunker.

By then, Plummer figured he was in.

“After my tee shot on 14,” said Plummer of when he thought he had made the cut. “I hit 4-iron to the middle of the fairway.

“I was 3 under at the time, and I had figured I would need 69 or 70. I figured I could probably come in 3 over from there.”

Norris is looking forward to match play.

“I think I have a pretty good chance,” said Norris.

He played somewhat conservatively the first two days to make sure he moved into match play, but it still almost didn’t happen.

“I had a shaky start at first,” said Norris. “I went bogey, double bogey. After that, I said, ‘Uh oh.”‘

Norris thought he needed to shoot 74 or better to advance, and he was already 3 over after two holes. He then parred No. 3 and birdied No. 4.

“That gave me a little breathing room,” said Norris.

He said the key to his rounds was putting. “I didn’t make any big putts, but I didn’t miss any small putts,” he said.

Speirs started well, but then things turned sour.

“I birdied the first, then made three bogeys in a row,” said Speirs, playing in his first Maine Amateur. “I started to get a little worried there.”

He held his game together, though, and played the remaining holes 2 over par.

Now, all of those scores pass into history. The slates are wiped clean for match play.

And Norris is happy because he says he can start hitting the ball hard.

“So what if I make 6 on a hole?” said Norris. “I birdie the next one and we’re even again.”

And even though Plummer has to be considered a heavy favorite now, Norris is glad Plummer made it in.

“It’s not the same without him,” said Norris, who will face Plummer in the final if they both win their first three matches. “He’s the best player in the state. I want him in. He’s the king.”