Topsham’s Caleb Manuel saved his best for last.
Manuel shot a six-under-par 65 on Thursday and became just the third golfer to win three consecutive Maine Amateur Golf Championship tournament titles as he triumphed by 11 shots at the Samoset Resort Golf Course in Rockport.
Manuel, who plays out of the Brunswick Golf Club, shot a 13-under 200 (67-68-65) for the three-day tournament, the 104th annual Maine Amateur. He played golf for the University of Georgia this past season after transferring from UConn.
Manuel took a two-shot lead over Falmouth’s Tyler Baker into the final round but eagled the par-five 462-yard fourth hole to expand his lead to four shots and added birdies at the 11th, 13th, 14th and 18th holes to pull away from the field during his bogey-free round.
Ron Kelton from the Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth finished second with a two-under-par 211. He shot a one-over-par 72 on Thursday after a 68 on Tuesday and a 71 on Wednesday.
Baker, who plays out of the Portland Country Club in Falmouth, struggled to a 75 on Thursday and wound up at one-under-par 212. He had shot a 67 in the first round to tie Manuel for the lead and had a 70 in round two, which left him two strokes behind Manuel.
The only other golfers to win three Maine Amateurs in a row were Mark Plummer and Dick Diversi.
Plummer did it twice, winning in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and 1982, 1983 and 1984. He has won 13 Maine Amateurs.
Diversi is the only golfer who has won more than three consecutive Maine Amateurs, when he captured five from 1953 to 1957.
Elliott Spaulding of the Brunswick Golf Club and Bennett Berg from the Woodlands Club in Falmouth each shot an even-par 213 with identical rounds of 73-70-70.
Drew Glasheen of the Waterville Country Club (70-75-69) and John Hayes IV of Purpoodock (69-74-71) tied for sixth at one-over-par 214; Andrew Slattery of the Portland Country Club was eighth with a two-over 215 (69-70-76); Tim Desmarais from the Deep Brook Golf Course in Saco was ninth at three-over 216 (76-71-69); and there was a two-way tie for 10th at 217 involving Michael Arsenault Jr. (72-73-72) from the Val Halla Golf Course in Cumberland Center and Mitchell Tarrio (69-72-76) from the Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.