But you still need to activate your account.
TRENTON – Some people like to go wherever the wind takes them.
Golfers don’t generally belong to that group, and competitors fought the wind all day in Friday’s opening round of the 40th Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament.
Bill Hutchins of Bangor was the best at it as he posted a 1-over-par 72 in Division A play at Bar Harbor Golf Course to take a one-stroke lead into today’s second round at Bangor Municipal Golf Course. The “A” flight will finish on Sunday at Rockland Golf Club.
Philip Doherty of Rockport paces Division B (10-13 handicaps) by two strokes after shooting a 1-over-par 72 at Bangor, and Steve Norton of Bucksport leads by a stroke in Division C (14-30) after turning in a 79 at Rockland.
Adam Smith of Ellsworth and Corey Poulin of Milford are tied for second in Div. A after posting 73s, while 2001 Bunyan champ Ricky Jones of Thomaston sits in fourth at 74. Mike Norris of Newburgh, the 1999 winner, heads a group at 75 that includes Joe Finemore of Newport, Gary Manoogian of Westbrook and John Downing of Portland.
Joe Alvarez of Holden, the runner-up to Jesse Speirs of Bangor in a playoff two years ago and fourth place last year, struggled a bit over the closing holes and posted a 76. J.J. Frost of Brewer, 2002 Maine Amateur Golf Championship runner-up, had his troubles, also, and came in at 77.
After Saturday’s round, the top 12 players in each division will be re-paired into threesomes for Sunday’s 18-hole finish.
“The wind switched on us at least twice on the back [nine],” said Hutchins.
“The last five holes were playing very hard,” said Alvarez, who bogeyed four of them.
Most of the back nine at Bar Harbor Golf Course is treeless and swept by the breezes blowing in off the Jordan River.
“It’s very tough for a high-ball hitter like myself,” said Norris.
What was equally difficult was the putting, according to the players.
“I had about eight birdie putts that either lipped out or just rolled off [line] and didn’t go in,” said Alvarez.
“I three-putted one green [No. 1] and four-putted another [No. 2],” said the 46-year-old Norris. “I haven’t four-putted a green since I was 10 years old.”
Hutchins also had his troubles, but he worked it out eventually and that made the difference.
“[The greens] were slow,” said Hutchins, who plays out of Bangor. The greens are putting faster at Bangor, he said, and it took him a while to get acclimated Friday.
He three-putted No. 3 for bogey and did the same on No. 6.
“I couldn’t get used to the speed,” he said. “They were on line but short. I just had to get a little more ‘oomph’ on them.”
Once he did, his day turned around. He birdied No. 7, got up-and-down for par on No. 8, and birdied No. 9 to make the turn at 1-over 36. He balanced three bogeys on the back with three birdies for another 36.
“I had it going from [No.] 7 on,” he said.
The 33-year-old Hutchins, an accountant for Pride Manufacturing in Guilford, has been focusing more on tournaments this year rather than just playing with no real goal in mind.
“I’ve been gearing up … for tournaments,” he said. “I played in some [Maine State Golf Association weekend events] to prepare for this – Rockland and here to remember where to hit.”
Hutchins feels like he has to post a good score today to be ready for Sunday’s finale at Rockland.
“Anybody can shoot low [Saturday]. I have to really focus there,” he said. “I’ve shot 66, 67 there before. I just have to keep my head in it and play smart.”
Smith started bogey, double bogey, then battled back to even par before making bogey on the last hole to fall a stroke behind Hutchins.
Poulin, who decided to enter only in the last few days, made his decision look good when he played even par through the first 14 holes, but bogeyed 15 and 18 to tie Smith.
Jones, who won the Maine Amateur last year, was at 1 over through 15 before back-to-back bogeys dropped him back to 74.
Norris is still confident he can make a run at his second Bunyan win.
“I’ll be in there at the end,” he said.
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