Mainers lead NEPGA event

SUTTON, Mass. – Bob Darling and John Hickson are good enough friends to room together during the New England PGA Championship at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

They were also sitting one-two on the leaderboard after the first round Tuesday.

Darling, of Lewiston, Maine, fired a 5-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead over Hickson, of Bath, Maine, who was a 4-under 68.

Two shots back at 3-under 69 were host professional Gary Young of Sutton, Mass. and Paul Parajeckas of Woburn, Mass.

Defending champion Kirk Hanefeld of Bolton, Maine, Ron Philo of Stowe, Vt. and Mike Baker of Bangor, Maine were another shot back at 2-under 70.

“I putted really well,” said Darling of his round that included just 27 putts. “I like this course. I played here three times in the Bank of Boston Classic. I didn’t have the greatest success, but I always felt comfortable here.”

Starting on the back nine, Darling rolled in a four-footer for birdie out of a greenside bunker on his second hole (No. 11) and went on from there. He added birdie putts of three feet on 15 and 10 feet on 16 to get to 3-under.

Darling’s only bogey came on the first hole (his 10th), but he offset that with a birdie on No. 4 and reached 5-under with a birdie on No. 6 before parring in.

Parajeckas benefited from a lost ball as he posted his 3-under 69.

On the 10th hole Parajeckas missed the green and though he found his ball in a bunker. After he reached the green, he realized he had hit the wrong ball. He had to declare a lost ball, but was allowed to return to the spot where the shot originated.

Young, in the meantime, got to 6-under after 15 holes, but struggled at the end. Young missed the green and bogeyed 16, then hit the water on 17 and finished with a triple bogey to drop back to 2-under. He finished with a birdie on 18 for his 3-under total.