FALMOUTH, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above aired Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
It was easy to find where the Maine golfers were at Falmouth Country Club Thursday. A gallery of a few dozen people watched Camden's Cole Anderson fire a 4-under-par 67 during the first round's morning wave at the Live + Work in Maine Open.
Topsham's Caleb Manuel also had a large following and was one of the last off the course as he finished his afternoon round with three birdies in his final four holes to finish at 1-under.
Anderson, making his professional golf and Korn Ferry Tour debut, is tied for sixth place heading into Friday's second round. He will tee off at 1:46 p.m.
Manuel will tee off in the morning wave Friday and sits tied for 33rd after his first round. The two young Mainers are chasing Patrick Cover, who leads the tournament at 7-under.
The local golfers are the only two amateurs in the field and are currently above the cut line. As of Friday morning, Anderson and Manuel will need to be even par or better for the tournament after their second round to make it to the weekend.
Staring on the 10th hole Thursday, Anderson made a birdie on 15 and 18 to make the turn at -1. After a birdie and bogey on the front nine, the Florida State rising junior locked in and made three birdies in his final four holes.
"I just felt comfortable," Anderson said after his round. "For whatever reason, I just felt really good and pretty at ease out here. I felt good. I was happy. I was enjoying myself."
After Anderson finished his round, it was Manuel's turn to draw the most attention from fans in Falmouth. Starting on the first hole, Manuel had an early double bogey on the par-3 second.
The 20-year-old, who golfs for the University of Connecticut, alternated birdies and bogeys to close out his first nine holes at 1-over-par. Three straight birdies on 15, 16, and 17, and a great par save on 18, were enough for Manuel to shoot a score of 70 on Thursday.
In a post-round interview posted by Pliable Marketing, Manuel said he was happy with his performance overall Thursday. He noted this first-round score was 15 strokes better than the 85 he shot at the Live + Work in Maine Open last year.
"It just kind of shows you, experience, once you get in that position, it will only help and it felt so much easier than last year," Manuel said. "It's good to feel comfortable out there and actually, you know, play my game."
Manuel and Anderson are playing among some of the best golfers in the world this week. Carl Yuan is currently first in the Korn Ferry Tour's Top 25 rankings. He shot a 69 Thursday and sits at -2.
The Korn Ferry Tour is the PGA's top development circuit. The top 25 money earners from the Korn Ferry earn a PGA Tour card for the following season.
Longtime PGA Tour player Boo Weekley is also in the field this week. He shot an even-par 71 on Thursday.