Day beats Plourd on second playoff

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BANGOR – Ryan Day of Lamoine rolled in a 3-foot par putt on the second playoff hole Sunday at Bangor Municipal Golf Course to edge Jay Plourd of Gorham and win the 36th R.H. Foster Energy/Mobil Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament.

Day’s putt on the eighth hole capped a dramatic end to a tournament which it seemed Day had a solid grip on as the day progressed.

“I think I relaxed too much. I took it for granted,” said Day, who held a two-stroke lead when the round began and built it as high as four at one point.

Day and Plourd finished 36 holes tied at even-par 141, a stroke ahead of Tom Caron of Bangor. Day shot a 1-over-par 72 Sunday, Plourd a 70, and Caron a 71.

The second round was washed out by the torrential rain which passed through the state Saturday.

Tim Roach of Bangor took Division B gross honors with a 154 after Sunday’s 81 at Rockland Golf Club. Net was a tie between Lon Winchester, playing out of Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, and Michael Bouchard of Fort Kent Golf Club at 137.

In Division C, David Clifford of Great Cove Golf Course in Roque Bluffs was tops at 163 following an 86 at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor. Donald Haff of St. Croix Country Club in Calais was low net at 128.

Both Plourd and Day hit good tee shots on the second playoff hole, No. 8, but Plourd’s approach went long, stopping on the back fringe. Day’s approach stayed on the green, but was well short of the pin which was on the back right side.

Day’s first putt stopped three feet short of the hole.

“I was kind of surprised it didn’t get there,” he said. “I was glad it stayed within a couple of feet; it gave me a chance.”

Plourd left his putt from the fringe well short, and his next putt never had a chance to go in.

As the pair prepared for their playoff, the light sprinkle which had arrived for good on 13 turned into a steady shower.

Plourd, teeing off first on the first playoff hole, No. 7, left his drive out to the right in the rough. Day then pounded his drive down the middle of the fairway.

Plourd’s approach came up short of the green, while Day stuck his in 10 feet right of the cup. Plourd chipped up to four feet.

Day’s putt hung on the right edge but wouldn’t drop. Plourd then sank his putt which was eerily similar to the one he had missed on 18.

“It crossed my mind for a second,” said Plourd. “Then I just said to myself to get up and hit it.”

While his margin had fluctuated throughout the round, Day still held a two-stroke lead as he stood in the right rough following his tee shot on 18, a par-5. The 21-year-old lefthander was about 190 yards away, but under a tree after taking relief from ground under repair.

His approach shot stayed out to the left, bounced off the hill beside the green, and went out of bounds.

On his second try, he pulled the ball down the tree line and into the right-side bunker.

“It wasn’t going out again, that’s for sure,” said Day, who wasn’t bothered that it was in the bunker. “At that point I didn’t care where it ended up. I figured I could get it up and down from anywhere.”

Plourd, who was about 30 yards longer off the tee and in the middle of the fairway, then stuck his approach shot four feet past the hole, which was at the back end of the valley between the two mounds which dominate the 18th green.

Caron, still in contention, pulled his approach shot into the rough just left of the green.

Day blasted out of the bunker and the ball landed softly, rolled slowly down the right mound, and stopped two feet right of the cup.

Caron tried to sink his chip for eagle, but missed. He made the comeback putt for birdie, but it proved to be one stroke too many.

Plourd’s putt for eagle and the win slid by on the left side and he tapped in for birdie. Day then sank his putt for bogey and the tie.

Plourd didn’t realize at first that he had another chance to win.

“I thought I had to make eagle for a playoff,” said Plourd.

It wasn’t until after they totaled the scores that Plourd discovered he and Day were tied.

The round typified one of the things Day said he has learned since he started playing at age 5.

“There’s a lot of frustration, but there’s a lot of joy,” he said. He found both Sunday.

Plourd, a former pro who got his amateur status back four years ago, had only played two rounds this spring, but was still confident when the tourney started.

“I felt comfortable. I got my swing back together,” he said. “I’ve been practicing a lot.”

Plourd, who now works for Bath Iron Works, promised to be back next year for his fifth Bunyan.

“Believe it,” he said. “I’ll try even harder next year.”