The Exotics Pro-Am Series’ third event is scheduled tomorrow at Sunday River with Sean Warren of Nonesuch River leading the field of 36 professionals, each playing on a team with three amateurs.
Warren is the leader because he has won the first event at Bath, and finished in a three-way tie for first in the second tournament at Penobscot Valley. That has netted him $3,000 in pro prize money, along with some cash he picked up in team play.
After the Sunday River competition, there will be another Series tournament Sept. 5 at Old Marsh and the season finale Oct. 2 at Falmouth.
If those five courses seem to have something in common, it is because they do. All are Harris Golf tracks. Johnny Johnston founded the tour a year ago, but as an employee of Harris Golf this year, he got the company president, Jeff Harris, interested in it to the point where Harris courses became the tour’s sites and co-sponsor along with Tour Edge’s Exotics, the brand name of its exclusive golf club line.
“Jeff Harris loved the idea,” said Johnston, a 44-year-old Maine native, Bath resident and teaching pro, certified by the U.S. Golf Teachers Federation. Primarily because of the Harris Golf support of the tour, interest throughout Maine has increased this season.
“It’s kind of a special thing,” Johnston said. “It’s really starting to grow.”
Offering a $2,000 prize to the champion of each event has many golf pros anxious to compete. Johnston thinks that there will be a lot of New Hampshire-Massachusetts participation at the Old Marsh event, and there already is a New Hampshire player, Kevin Rillovick, Tour Edge territory manager, involved.
“We’ve had some interest from as far away as Ontario, Canada,” said Johnston, who pointed out that these are non-sanctioned events, meaning pros from anywhere are eligible.
This is the closest thing to a Maine satellite tour, which makes it exciting for the really competitive Maine professionals.
The format is that all pros must be accompanied by three amateurs. The pro entry fee is $150 and each amateur pays $80, with them being eligible only for pro shop credit.
After two events, the series money leaders are:
1. Shawn Warren, Nonesuch River — $3,460
2. Jason Harris, Bath — $2,180
3. John Hickson, Dick’s Topsham — $1,880
4. Ryan Gay, Augusta — $1,220
5. Chad Hopkins, Hopkins Golf School — $1,100
6 . Leon Oliver, Bath — $450
7. Dave Simard, Falmouth — $400
8. Don Roberts, Waterville — $350
9. Dan Limauro, Old Marsh — $200
10. Peter Dennis, Penobscot Valley — $195
Noteworthy
The Maine State Golf Association’s tournament schedule this week is: Mixed Match Play Championship today at Riverside, the Senior Amateur Tuesday and Wednesday at Dunegrass, and the weekly Friday-Saturday tournaments at Wawenock … Fox Ridge will be crowning two champions today with senior title completion starting at 8 a.m. and the couples league championship beginning at 1 p.m.
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