Five takeaways from Day 1 of the 106th Maine Amateur Championship

Defending champion Eli Spaulding, of Brunswick Golf Club, tees off on 15th hole at the Maine Amateur Championship on Tuesday at the Waterville Country Club. Spaulding shot 1-under par 69. (Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image

OAKLAND — The skies were overcast and the course featured a tough back nine, though one with greens that drew praise from the players. And the leaderboard featured the defending champion and a couple of locals.

The 106th Maine Amateur got off to an intriguing start Tuesday at Waterville Country Club. Here are five takeaways from the first round.

THREE-WAY TIE FOR LEAD; SPAULDING ONE BACK

Although a morning session that featured some former Maine Amateur champions, the afternoon produced the Round 1 leaders. Ron Kelton (Purpoodock Club), Jack Quinn (Augusta Country Club) and Luke Ruffing (Waterville Country Club) all finished at 2-under 68 and were tied for the lead.

Earlier, reigning champ Eli Spaulding had a steady start, making par on his first 11 holes before bogeying No. 12. He immediately responded with a birdie on 13 and another on 17, finishing at 1 under. He was tied for fourth place with John Hayes IV (Purpoodock) and Guy Lansing (Waterville).

“Overall, I’d say it was a good first day,” said Spaulding, who won last year’s event at Purpoodock by two strokes. “I tried not to think too much about being the defending champ and just focus on playing golf. I think I took the right approach; I put myself in a good spot for the next two days.”

CLUB LOCAL EARNS SHARE OF LEAD

Lansing, playing on his home course, was 4 over after a triple bogey on 7 and a bogey on 8. From there, he was nearly flawless, registering five birdies and not a single bogey to grab a share of the early lead.

At 66 years old, Lansing, of Embden, is the second-oldest golfer in the field behind 13-time champion Mark Plummer (73). Lansing said it’s the third time he has shot 29 on the back nine, and he felt his confidence building as he made four straight birdies from 11-14.

“Coming in here, I was just thinking to myself, ‘Make 18 pars,’ but when you make a triple on the seventh hole, it’s a little difficult mentally to get back into it,” Lansing said. “I’ve done 29 before, and that’s what happens: I get those little (bursts) of momentum, and then I just keep it going.”

BACK NINE TRIPS UP CONTENDERS

Lansing’s success on the back nine went against the grain. That stretch of the course caused headaches for some of the top golfers, many of whom were under par after the front nine but wound up over par.

Hayes, who won the last Maine Amateur played at Waterville in 2015, started on the back nine and bogeyed 13, 16 and 17 to move to 2-over after starting off with a birdie on 10. He then birdied 1, 3 and 7 to finish at 1-under 69.

Michael Arsenault (Val Halla), Mike Brennan (Norway) and Joshua Trivilino (York) were all 2 under through the front nine. Arsenault bogeyed 12, 14 and 17 to finish at 1-over 71, Brennan shot a 73 after five bogeys in a seven-hole stretch, and Trivilino carded a 72 that included a double bogey on 14 after bogeys on 12 and 13.

“I think the front is a little bit shorter and a little bit more open, whereas the back nine is a little bit narrower in spots,” Trivilino said. “You’ve got to hit it pretty straight, and if you don’t, you’re going to end up in the trees.”

GREENS DRAW PRAISE FROM COMPETITORS

Some used the greens to their advantage; others faltered because of them. In any case, the putting surfaces at Waterville were popular.

Spaulding said the key to success was “not getting caught up in the hype” of the greens, noting the wicked slopes and angles on many of the back-nine holes. Trivilino said he “couldn’t ask for anything better” than the “quick, true, fantastic” greens.

Waterville golfers used familiarity with the greens to their advantage. With the speed of the greens, Lansing was confident his putts would fall if aligned properly. Drew Glasheen, who finished at even-par 70, said he’s played numerous tournaments this year on greens of a similar speed.

“I prefer them fast, knowing it slopes a lot and knowing what putts not to be too aggressive at,” Glasheen said. “It’s not scary, but it can get a little bit in the back of your head when you’ve got to make a putt downhill.”