BANGOR – George Bradford of Pikesville, Md., mixed aggressiveness off the tee with patience on the greens and pulled out to a one-stroke lead after the first round of the 39th Greater Bangor Open on Thursday.

Bradford, playing in the last group, posted a 6-under-par 63 and grabbed the top spot from defending champion Matt Donovan of Pittsfield, Mass., on a day when there weren’t many low scores turned in.

Andy Bare of Shelburne, Vt., and Jeff Martin of Warwick, R.I., are tied for third at 65. David Spitz of Norwell, Mass., and Scott Ehrlich of Blue Bell, Pa., matched 66s.

Former PGA Tour player Jim Hallet of South Yarmouth, Mass., heads a quartet of players at 67. Maine Amateur champ Corey Poulin of Skowhegan is the low amateur at even-par 69.

After today’s round the field will be cut to the low 50 professionals and low 15 amateurs for Saturday’s 18-hole finale.

“This was a good day,” said Bradford. “I haven’t had a day like this for a while.”

A big hitter from the Canadian Professional Golf Tour, Bradford finds that works out fine for him in playing at Bangor.

“You can’t be too aggressive on the greens, but you can be aggressive off the tee,” he said.

And Bradford was certainly that.

“I almost drove the green on [No.] 1, I drove five, and I drove 13,” said Bradford. “I hit into the group in front of us [on No. 5]. I felt bad about that.”

He converted all three for birdies.

“I’ve been playing decently, but I’ve been struggling with my irons,” said Bradford.

He said he straightened his iron play out recently and, even though he didn’t need them much Thursday – “I didn’t have many long irons today” – it helped his overall play.

“I played with more confidence than I have been,” he said.

His confidence was also boosted by his most recent Canadian Tour event.

“The last tournament was on a Donald Ross course with greens like this,” said Bradford of Bangor’s large, fast greens with subtle breaks. “You have to be patient. It was a good way to prepare coming into this.”

After the birdie on No. 1, Bradford added birdies on Nos. 4, 5, and 7.

A big par save on No. 9 allowed him to make the turn at 4-under 31.

“I snap-hooked my drive into the hazard [on the left],” said Bradford. “If I hit 100 balls, I couldn’t hit it in there again. I never knew it was there.”

After taking a drop, he hit a 7-iron 200 yards which stopped 12 feet right of the pin.

“I drained it. That was a huge momentum saver,” said Bradford with a smile.

He promptly birdied 10, 12, and 13 to get to 7 under, but bogeys on 15 and 16 hurt his chance of breaking the course record of 62. He parred 17 and birdied 18 for his 63.

Donovan, a member of the Cleveland Golf Tour (formerly the New England Pro Tour), played in the morning session and just wanted to get in a solid round.

“The first day, you just want to get off to a good start,” said Donovan.

He did that with a round consisting of five birdies and no bogeys.

“I feel pretty good about my game,” said Donovan, but “it seems one or two mistakes cost me every tournament.”

Donovan, who started on No. 10, opened with six straight pars before making his first birdie, then added two more pars to turn in 33.

On the front, though, he birdied 2, 4, 5, and 9 for 31.

“There was a good rhythm to the day,” he said.

Bare, playing in the first group off No. 10, was 1 over par after his first nine but blistered the front by going birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle. He parred the final five holes for a 30.

Poulin found that winning the Amateur has helped his confidence.

“I’m being more aggressive,” he said. “I know I can do it, so I let it all hang out.

“I’ll try to do that again [today].”

Bradford also plans to play the same way he did Thursday.

“I’ll go out, take the same mental attitude, do what I can, and have fun,” he said.