Baker, 7 others tied for Portland golf lead

PORTLAND – Mike Baker of Bradley is among eight players tied for the lead after the first round of the Greater Portland Open Wednesday.

Baker, the assistant pro at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor, shot a 5-under-par 67 at Riverside Municipal Golf Course to match Mike Worroll of Cape Elizabeth, Billy Downes of Hampden, Mass., Doug Ferris, Kirk Oguri, Tim Hegna, and Brad Lehmann.

Baker won the 1986 Greater Bangor Open, and Downes won the GBO and the New England Open in 2000.

James Becker of Bloomfield, Conn., heads another group of six tied at 68.

Former Maine Open winners Kyle Gallo of Kensington, Conn., and David Cummings of Bath are in a group of nine at 69.

Mike Altobello of Westfield, Mass., is the amateur leader with a 70.

Competition for the $10,500 first-place check continues with 18 holes today. The low 40 and ties after the second round will advance to Friday’s 18-hole finale.