25th GBO begins with pro-am today

The silver anniversary edition of the Greater Bangor Open golf tournament begins Wednesday morning with a pro-am at Bangor Municipal Golf Course.

Approximately 40 pros and their three amateur partners will test the conditions at Bangor Muni before the regular part of the 54-hole tournament begins Thursday morning.

Some of the top players competing Wednesday to get a feel for the course will be defending champion Andy Brock of Cheshire, Conn., Jeff Lewis of Cummaquid, Mass., Charlie Smith of Pawtucket, R.I., Bob Mattiace of Jacksonville, Fla., Mike Baker of Bangor, and Pete Morgan of Wheeling, W. Va.

Lewis is the only two-time winner of the GBO and a popular competitor among Bangor-area golf fans.

Smith has been a contender for several years, but has never won the event.

Baker was a co-champion in the rain-shortened 1986 tournament, while Mattiace was the winner the following year.

Morgan won the rain-shortened Maine Open last year.

Also Wednesday, there will be the always popular driving contest at approximately 5:30 p.m.

When the tourney begins Thursday, total prize for the GBO will be $35,000 with $5,600 going to the winner.

The course should play easier with the hard rain which fell Tuesday, softening a course which has been baked in recent days by 90-plus-degree temperatures.