BANGOR – For three-quarters of the field in the 36th Greater Bangor Open golf tournament, the $10,000 first prize is the motivating factor.

For 15-year-old amateur Jesse Speirs of Bangor, the motivating factor is something a little closer to the heart of many a teen-ager.

“[Seth, his brother] said after the round yesterday, ‘If you win, I’ll buy you an X-Box,'” said Speirs on Friday of the video game system built by Microsoft. “It’s newer with better graphics, better games.”

Speirs added, “We had been thinking about getting one for some time. In the back of my mind [Friday], I was playing for an X-Box.”

Speirs shot an even-par 69 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course Friday afternoon to go with his record-tying 62 Thursday for a two-day total of 131. He leads the GBO by three strokes over pros Ryan Ouellette of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Paul Dickinson of Apopka, Fla.

Ouellette shot a 4-under-par 65 Friday afternoon for his 134 and Dickinson recorded a 66 Friday morning to go to the top of the scoreboard until Speirs finished.

Eric Snodgress of Moundsville, W. Va., and Jeff Dantas of Pawtucket, R.I., head a group at 135, Mark Szewczyk of New Oxford, Pa., heads a trio at 136, and low Maine pro Mike Dugas of Pittsfield and 2000 winner Billy Downes of Hampden, Mass., top the set at 137. Defending champion Jim Salinetti of Lee, Mass., shot a 71 for 138.

The cut for today’s final round was 144 for pros, 153 for amateurs, and 162 for Maine pros.

The only amateur ever to win the GBO was Mark Plummer of Manchester in 1979.

Speirs, winner of the R.H. Foster/Mobil Energy Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament last month, played with fellow amateurs Mike Norris of Newburgh and Ryan Day of Lamoine for the first two days.

He appeared to be surprised that he would be paired with pros for the final round.

“Sweet,” he said. He doesn’t expect it to bother him.

“It’s not like I haven’t played against pros before,” he added.

He has played in some of the weekly pro-ams conducted by the Maine chapter of the New England PGA. It’s a team event with a pro and three amateurs in each group. The pros are the only ones who earn individual honors, but Speirs still checks how he fares against them.

“I try to beat the pros,” he said.

He will try again to do that today, but it may be a one-way competition as the pros keep their eyes on each other.

“The guys at 134 are my focus,” said Mike Hyland, whose 69 Friday put him at 136. “A win would be incredible, but we’re trying to make a living.”

Hyland has a win in his first year as a pro, the New Hampshire Open earlier this week. A win Saturday would give him two in a row, and he thinks Speirs leading the tournament may actually help him.

“That gives them a big gallery,” said Hyland. “That puts more pressure on them.”

Speirs got off to another fast start Friday, dropping a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 10, his first hole of the day.

“That was payback for Thursday,” said Speirs, who had just missed a 15-foot birdie putt.

His second round was more erratic than his first, though.

He three-putted the 12th for his first bogey of the day and the tournament. He parred 13 and 14 (with a little luck), then bogeyed 15, which – along with 18 – has been converted from a par 5 to a par 4 for the tournament.

After Speirs birdied No. 17, he immediately topped his tee shot on 18 and made another bogey.

“I dribbled my tee shot 40 to 50 yards off the tee,” he said. “I don’t know how I did that.”

Another bogey on No. 1 put him 2 over for the day, but he eventually found the cure for that. He chipped in from behind the green for an eagle on the par-5 fourth.

“That was big,” he said. “I had a good feeling about that chip. I made a nice smooth swing, a short swing. When it landed, I said that was in.”

The eagle made the rest of his round easier.

“That took the pressure off me to make birdies,” Speirs said.

He played it safe and parred out for his 69.

“If it gets a little tight tomorrow, I’ll have to try to make a few more putts,” he said.

What might also be tight today for Speirs is his left side.

He injured it slightly while on the driving range before his round Friday.

“It affected some of my shots,” he said. “But you’ve got to play with the conditions.”

Second-Round Leaders

(a-amateur)

a-Jesse Speirs 62-69?131

Paul Dickinson 68-66?134

Ryan Ouellette 69-65?134

Peter Maki 69-66?135

Eric Snodgrass 64-71?135

Adam Decker 67-68?135

Jeff Dantas 66-69?135

William Link 72-64?136

Mike Hylard 67-69?136

Mark Szewczyk 64-72?136

Michael Dugas 65-72?137

Matthew Chubb 68-69?137

Billy Downes 67-70?137

Scott Ford 69-69?138

Jim Salinetti 67-71?138

Todd Sapere 69-69?138

Jim Sullivan 69-69?138

Mark Urdarek 66-72?138

Corey Harris 66-72?138

Kyle Gallo 69-69?138

Joe Cioe 68-70?138

John Hickson 68-70?138