BANGOR – Jim Salinetti of South Lee, Mass., is enjoying his golf trips to Maine more and more.

Salinetti, playing in his first Greater Bangor Open Golf Tournament, fired a 6-under-par 63 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course in Thursday’s opening round of the 35th edition of the GBO for a two-stroke lead.

Jerry Wood of Ridgeway, Va., Jason Grant of Abington, Mass., and the Franco brothers, Angel and Ramon of Asuncion, Paraguay, each posted 4-under-par 65s.

Defending champion Billy Downes of Hampden, Mass., tops a group at 66 which includes 1988 GBO champ Rich Parker of Lebanon, N.H., and 1999 victor John Connelly of Stow, Mass.

Mike Worroll, pro at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth, is the low Maine pro at 67, and Larry Loving of Richmond, Va., is the low amateur at 68.

After today’s second round, the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties for the pros, 15 and ties for the Maine pros, and 20 and ties for the amateurs for Saturday’s 18-hole wrapup to the $50,000 tournament. First prize is $10,000.

In his two previous visits to the state, Salinetti won last year’s New England Amateur Golf Championship at Waterville Country Club in Oakland by 13 strokes over Mark Plummer of Manchester and finished third in last September’s New England Open in his first pro tournament. The New England Open was held at Portland Country Club in Falmouth Foreside and The Woodlands in Falmouth.

“I had a lot of memories driving up here,” said Salinetti, adding, “There are no distractions, and it’s laid back.

“I like playing up here.”

Apparently playing in Bangor agrees with him, too. Salinetti also shot a 63 in the pro-am Wednesday.

“Today’s round was definitely better,” said Salinetti. “The course is set up harder. Yesterday, I was just having fun, playing with a cool bunch of guys.

“Today, it was down to business. Luckily, it was the same result.”

Salinetti said he’s been playing well this summer, but with no wins to show for it.

“That’s the frustrating part,” he said. “I have three second-place finishes.”

He knows that’s a hurdle he has to overcome.

“There’s a big difference between first and second,” said the 23-year-old pro. He has two seconds on the New England Pro Tour and a second in the Massachusetts Open.

“I’ve been very consistent,” he added.

He made six birdies, three on each nine, and the rest were pars.

His first birdie came on the par-5 fourth when he reached the green on the 535-yard hole in two and two-putted from 20 feet. He followed that with back-to-back birdies on 6 and 7 by dropping putts of 6 and 15 feet, respectively.

On the back, he hit a flop shot to 6 feet on 13, stuck an 8-iron to 4 feet on 16, and left himself a 10-foot uphill putt on 17. He made all three birdies.

“I’ve been shooting a lot of 68s and 69s,” said Salinetti. “They’re good numbers, but not good enough.

“I need some 63s and this is a good start.”

Salinetti was grateful for the help his pro-am partners gave him on Wednesday.

“This is a local knowledge course,” he said. “They showed me around, what clubs to hit, where to hit.

“It’s tough to come to these places where guys have played 10 or a dozen times. It means you’ve got to shoot so much better.”

Downes is one of those players who has been here a number of times. He knows his round is OK, but he thought he could have been so much better.

“I left [putts] hanging on the edges all day,” he said.

Downes started on the back nine and chipped in on 11 for a birdie 2.

“I played the back first and I was really solid,” he said, “but I couldn’t get anything going on the front.”

He thinks he’ll be battling all the way to Saturday’s finish.

“I played in the [PGA Tour’s] Greater Hartford Open and missed the cut, then the Buy.com at Hershey [Pa.] and missed the cut there,” said Downes.

He took a couple of weeks off, then finished sixth in the New Hampshire Open, which ended Tuesday.

“I’ve had my little summer vacation,” he said, smiling. “Now I’m refreshed and ready to go.”