Gavin Dugas’ win in the New England high school championship on Monday was just the start of a busy summer tournament schedule for the recent Maine Central Institute graduate. Dugas has three big tournaments planned for July, before he heads off to Southern New Hampshire University in August.

Dugas will play in the Maine Amateur Championship at Waterville Country Club, July 7-9. As a member of Maine’s junior team last year, Dugas earned an exemption into the tournament and did not have to play in a qualifying tournament. Waterville is a course he’s played well in high school matches, Dugas, the Class B state individual champion last fall, said.

“Winning the (New England) tournament Monday was a goal,” Dugas said. “The Maine Am, I’ve never made the cut there. Hopefully, I can do better than that, and make the top 10.”

Dugas will play an American Junior Golf Association tournament in Boston, July 20-23, before heading to Florida to compete in the Optimist World Junior Championships, July 27-31 in West Palm Beach.

Dugas also was set to play in the Big I qualifier at Cape Arundel Golf Club on Thursday, but added that he was not sure he’d be able to play in the national championship tournament, which will be Aug. 3-6 in Hutchinson, Kansas, and may interfere with his preparations to leave for Southern New Hampshire.

While his struggles tend to come in his short game, Dugas said he’s working this summer on improving his all-around golf.

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“I’m just trying to get more out of every shot. If I hit a bad shot, I try and fix it with a good shot,” Dugas said.

On Monday, Dugas shot a 2-under par 70 to win the New England championship at Bretwood Golf Course in Keene, N.H.

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Heavy rain on Tuesday caused the postponement on the Maine Amateur qualifying tournament at Fox Run in Auburn. The Fox Run qualifier will be held on Monday, June 29.

Another Maine Am qualifier was set for Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono on Thursday. Last week, 41 players qualified for the Maine Am at Biddeford-Saco Country Club. Preston Anderson shot an even par 71 to lead all scorers at the Biddeford-Saco qualifier. Among the others who qualified for the Maine Am was former University of Maine men’s ice hockey goalie Alfie Michaud, who led the Black Bears to the national championship in 1999.

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This is a busy week for junior golf in Maine. Along with Thursday’s Big I qualifier at Cape Arundel, there was a junior clinic at Waterville Country Club from Monday through Thursday, and a pair of junior tournaments.

Bailey Plourde of Lincoln Academy won Wednesday’s junior tournament at Belgrade Lakes, shooting an even 71. Plourde had a strong front nine, with three birdies and an eagle on the par-5, 362-yard third hole. Thomas Higgins was second, five shots back at 76.

The MSGA junior tournament schedule continues Thursday with an event at The Woodlands in Falmouth.

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The Women’s Maine State Golf Association’s weekly tournament comes to Lakewood Golf Course in Madison next Tuesday. Among those in the first group, scheduled to tee off at 9 a.m., are a pair of golfers representing Vassalboro’s Natanis Golf Course, Liz Wiltshire and recent Lawrence High School graduate Kelsie Dessent.

Dessent recently was one of the winners of a Maine State Golf Association scholarship. Dessent and the other winners receivers $1,500, renewable for up to four years of undergraduate studies.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM


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