Two shoot 66 for lead Parajeckas, Schewitz are tied for first

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PORTLAND – Paul Parajeckas of Woburn, Mass., and Bryan Schewitz of Pretoria, South Africa, are tied for the lead after the first round of the $30,000 Maine Open Golf Championship here.

Parajeckas and Schewitz both played in the morning and each shot 32 on his first nine and 34 on his second nine to post identical scores of six-under-par 66 at Riverside Municipal Golf Course.

That puts them a stroke clear of Jeff Julian of Hartland, Vt., and Rich Parker of Lebanon, N.H.

Tied for fifth at 68 are Joe Clark Jr. of Holderness, N.H., and Ken Mattiace of Jacksonville, Fla.

Mike Baker of Bangor, the assistant pro at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor, is the low Maine pro and leads a group of three at 69.

The other two are Bob Kay of West Dover, Vt., and 1980 Maine Open champ Don Brigham, who is playing out of New Jersey.

Mark Siewertsen of Scarborough is the low amateur at 70, where he has a lot of company, including two-time Maine Open champ Jeff Lewis of Cummaquid, Mass. Lewis won in 1979 and ’85.

Schewitz (pronounced Shev-its) is making his second trip to the Maine Open.

“Last year, I was one over par for two rounds and missed the cut by a stroke, so I wasn’t too enthused about coming back,” said Schewitz.

A hot putter has made him a happier man, though. And a good attitude has helped.

“Even though these greens are a little rough, my attitude was that the greens were fine and I was going to make all the putts,” said Schewitz.

He had to make one 15-footer for birdie on his 11th hole of the day. The rest of his birdie putts were between six and eight feet long.

“My putter has been hot, and I’ve had good rounds the last two weeks,” said Schewitz. “I’ve just been waiting to get the putter going on a course.”

Wednesday was that day.

He started on No. 10 (the usual No. 1 as the nines are flopped for the tournament) and immediately started birdie, birdie.

A bogey on his third hole set him back, but it was only temporary as he birdied his fourth and fifth holes and added another on his eighth to make the turn at four under.

His birdie on his 11th hole put him at minus-5 and he finished with a birdie for 66.

“I enjoyed myself,” said Schewitz. “I’ll just have to keep the attitude these are the best greens in Maine and I’m going to make everything.”

For Parajeckas, a veteran of more than 20 Maine Opens, Wednesday’s round was his best start ever.

After starting par-birdie-par, Parajeckas birdied three straight holes to get quickly to four under.

He made three pars to finish the front nine in 32, then eagled the 449-yard, par-5 10th hole to drop to six under.

“I didn’t make a birdie after that even though I had a chance on every hole,” said Parajeckas.

He was happy with his round, though.

“It’s a fun course to play because you’re hitting wedges into every green,” he said.

Julian, who won the Greater Bangor Open less than two weeks ago in a three-hole playoff, was also six under until he bogeyed the 18th hole.

“I wasn’t thinking clearly on the first putt,” said Julian. “I didn’t want to smash it by (the hole).”

He left it about three feet below the hole instead, and lipped the next putt.

“I just didn’t pay attention,” said Julian.

That bogey, his only one of the day, didn’t upset him.

“As long as you hit a lot of greens it will even out,” said Julian, who hit 17 and got up and down for par on the one he missed.

“I knew it was going to be a good day when I had it 10 feet on No. 1,” said Julian. “I hit a terrible putt, but it caught the edge and fell in (for birdie).

“I said `if that went in, then it’s going to be a good day.”‘

Parker, winner of the 1988 GBO, had the hottest start.

He played the back nine in six-under-par 30, but could only manage 37 on the front.

Parker, who started on 10, birdied the first two holes, parred the 12th, made two more birdies and a par, then birdied 16 and 18.

After parring the first six holes on the front, he got to seven under with another birdie, but bogeyed the final two holes to drop a stroke behind.

After Thursday’s round, the field will be trimmed to the low 64 and ties plus eight more Maine pros and 15 more amateurs for Friday’s 18-hole finale.