For Al Bouchard of Falmouth, defending his title in this weekend’s 28th annual Bangor Daily News Amateur Golf Tournament could be the most peaceful time he has had in a month.

“Within the last month, I got a job, moved, and bought a business,” said Bouchard.

The job as a controller is in Saco, but the accounting business he bought a week ago is in Lewiston, so some of his days are split between the two southern Maine cities.

With his home in Falmouth, he has logged a lot of time on the road, leaving little time for golf.

“Other than the Father-Son Championship, the last 18-hole round I played was at York a couple of weeks ago,” said Bouchard. “I have played nine holes a couple of times.”

For the next three days – Friday at Rockland Golf Club, Saturday at Bar Harbor Golf Course in Trenton, and Sunday at Bangor Municipal Golf Course – Bouchard’s thoughts will be on fairways instead of roadways and driving golf balls instead of cars.

“It will always be on my mind to some degree,” said Bouchard, “but I think I can block it out.

“I’ve paid my dues the last 3-4 weeks, so I’m due for one weekend of golf.”

Although he hasn’t been playing much, Bouchard thinks he can play among the leaders.

“I hope to make an admirable defense,” said Bouchard.

Bouchard won last year’s tournament by six strokes to become the first golfer south of Augusta to win Maine’s largest amateur tournament.

This year’s tournament will again be held in four divisions on four courses over three days with 615 golfers scheduled to tee off.

In addition to the “A” flight, the “B” division will start at Bar Harbor GC, move to Rockland, then finish at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor. The “C” flight will play Kebo, Bangor, and Bar Harbor, in that order. For the “D” division, the order is Bangor, Kebo, and Rockland.

When Jamie Place of Morrill won the NEWS Amateur in 1990, he said he hadn’t been playing a whole lot before the tournament.

This year has been even less.

“I’ve never played less,” said Place, who has been spending the time with his family. “There have been a lot of Little League evenings and weekends.”

When he has played, he has been right around par, including a round of even-par 70 at Kebo a couple of weeks ago in a Maine State Golf Association weekend tourney that was played in abysmal weather.

Bad weather, including possible thunderstorms, is in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

“It can’t be any worse than that (day at Kebo),” said Place.

Mark Plummer of Manchester will be going for his 10th NEWS Amateur crown, but he thinks he may have to approach it differently because of the weather.

“You almost have to play it like a one-day tournament,” said Plummer, whose recent one-day scores have included a 67 and a 69 at Augusta Country Club in Manchester. “You can’t lay back to make your move.”

Lawton, who has been the runnerup the last two years, would like to break into the win column for a change.

“If I can be anywhere near (the lead), within 3-4 shots at Bangor, I’ll have a chance,” said Lawton, who plays out of Bangor.

Lawton wants to get through the first round cleanly.

“I’ll try to get out of Rockland alive,” said Lawton. “That course always gets me.”

Lawton said he hasn’t recorded any spectacular rounds this spring, but he has been shooting consistently in the low 70s.

“I’m pretty relaxed. I’ll just go out and play like it’s any other day,” said Lawton, who has been logging more practice time in the last week and a half in order to get ready.

“I’m chipping and putting well and my driving is better, but anything in between, I’m lost,” said Lawton.

For Lawton, though, the bottom line is to finally come out on top.

“Anyone can finish where they want as long as it’s behind me,” he said, laughing.

Norris took a few days to go to Ogunquit and rest before the tourney.

“If I play too much golf, I lose interest,” said Norris.

He has won several of the MSGA weekend tournaments, playing consistently well if not a lot.

“If I shoot in the mid-70s (at Rockland), play the other long courses well, make a few putts, I should do well,” said Norris.

Other top challengers should include Ron Brown of Cumberland Foreside, Tom Caron of Bangor, Dave Brown of Bangor, Jon Martin of East Sullivan, Bob Girvan II of Kenduskeag, and Jeff Wass of Rockland.

The low 12 and ties in each of the four divisions will be re-paired for the final round.