Last year, Shawn Warren, above, and Jack Wyman were declared co-champs of The Maine Event based on the first-round scores after rain forced postponement of the second round. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
The Maine Event, perhaps the most unique tournament on the state’s golf calendar, has been postponed, Maine State Golf Association Executive Director Brian Bickford confirmed Monday. No make-up date has been determined.
The tournament was slated to be played Monday and Tuesday, but Bickford said bunker renovations at Augusta Country Club, the host course, have caused the event to be delayed.
“We don’t have a date as of yet. We have to look, it’s tough because of all the other events that we run,” Bickford said. “We’re looking for a date right now. Chances are it could be early fall, but we’re not sure. We want to look at August as well.
“(Augusta) had a delay in their renovation, and it just kind of bumped right into the event. That was a bummer.”
The Maine Event is in its third season. It was established as a replacement for the Maine Open, the annual professional event that came to an end because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The Maine Event has been promoted as a way to determine the champion golfer in Maine, with the field open to pros and amateurs as well as men and women.
Bickford said that Falmouth Country Club professional Shawn Warren, along with past Women’s Amateur champions Bailey Plourde, Ruby Haylock and Jordan Laplume, are among the 94 players signed up.
Bickford said finding a time that works with the schedules of the participating groups will be the challenge. Junior players, for instance, have school golf starting in the fall.
“We’re trying to thread the needle,” he said. “And trying to thread it again, it makes it really hard. We’ll try to make it work. If we don’t, we’re going to have to regroup and see what we can do for next year. But I really would like to run it this year.”
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