PORTLAND – Three golfers fired a 4-under-par 67 to share the first-round lead Wednesday as the Greater Portland Open got under way at Riverside Golf Course.

The field that included a former PGA tour commissioner and six-time women’s state amateur champ Abby Spector of Waterville.

The leaders were Dan LaPierre of Springfield, Mass., Jeffrey Dantas of Pawtucket, R.I., and Jerry DiPhilippo of Gorham.

Former PGA tour commissioner Deane Beman shot a 71 to equal par. The 65-year-old summer resident of Kennebunkport was using the tournament as a tuneup for seniors tournaments next month in England and Scotland.

Spector, who carded a 75, said she was playing in the tournament at the invitation of its director, Blaine Davis.

Spector was driving from the men’s tees, just as Annika Sorenstam did in the PGA Tour’s Colonial Invitational. But Spector waved off any comparisons with Sorenstam, noting that it was not the first time she competed in the Greater Portland Open.

The 54-hole tournament, which runs through Friday, has a top prize of $8,000 and an overall purse of $24,000.

Maine Amateur Qualifier

At Bangor Municipal Golf Course, Alan Anderson of Bangor Muni and Mike Norris of Hermon Meadow each fired an even-par 71 to head the field of golfers who participated in the Maine Amateur Qualifier.

Robby Picard of Natanis Golf Course in Waldoboro and Devon Raymond of Waterville Country Club in Oakland each shot a 72, while Michael St. Thomas, Joseph Finemore and Corey Pion, all of Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, and Dexter Muni’s Jim Costedio were at 2-over 73.

In all, 19 golfers qualified for the Maine Amateur, scheduled July 8-11 at PVCC. Mark Plummer is the three-time defending champion and a 13-time winner of the event.