PORTLAND – The sea gulls must have thought they’d discovered a new ocean Friday as they paddled around one of the city’s newest ponds created by heavy rainfall from a dying Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Unfortunately, it was right in the middle of the Maine Open Golf Championship’s ninth fairway (normally No. 18) at Riverside Municipal Golf Course.

A larger pond was created on the 13th hole, a long par-5 on which the right side of the hole for a distance of at least 150 yards long and 20 yards wide could have been patrolled by the Coast Guard.

“I’ve waterskied on smaller ponds than these!” joked Nancy DeFrancesco, executive director of the Maine State Golf Association, which conducts the tournament.

The eighth hole reportedly was submerged with ducks taking over there, and holes running along the Presumpscot River also were thoroughly soaked.

“When I saw standing water on No. 11, which is the highest point on the course, I knew there was no way we were going to play,” said DeFrancesco of Friday’s final round.

With more rain being forecast for later Friday, course superintendent Gene Pierotti didn’t think Riverside would be able to reopen for regular play on Saturday, either.

With the remnants of Hurricane Charley supposed to slide through on Sunday, probably the entire weekend will be a washout at Riverside, and at other clubs as well.

Long drive championship

The second Pepsi Maine Long Driving Championship will be held today, weather permitting, at Rocky Knoll Country Club in Orrington.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and competition begins at noon. The rain date is Sunday.

Categories are open, senior (ages 45-54), super senior (55-59), and super super senior (60-plus) for men; women, junior boys (17-under), and junior girls.

The entry fee is $15 for all men’s and women’s divisions, $10 for juniors.

Plaques will be presented to the winner and runner-up in each division, and there will be other prizes as well in each division.

Bonus time

Rich Parker of Lebanon, N.H., collected another check Thursday for his golf exploits in Maine.

Parker won the $2,500 top prize from the bonus pool for players who participated in the special offer to sign up for the Greater Portland Open in June and the Greater Bangor Open in July with one entry.

In addition to getting a $100 price break on the combined entry fee, the bonus pool was created to add extra incentive to commit early to the two Maine tournaments.

Parker finished tied for fourth at the GPO and tied for third in the GBO.