Leader going for aggressive approach Oppenheim holds one-stroke edge

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PORTLAND – Rob Oppenheim is playing a lot of golf this year and it shows.

The 25-year-old pro from Andover, Mass., playing a competitive round for the ninth straight day, shot a 9-under-par 63 Friday at Riverside Municipal Golf Course to take a one-stroke lead in the 87th Maine Open Golf Championship.

Oppenheim has a two-day total of 14-under 130, just ahead of John Connelly of Oregon, Ohio, and Kirk Hanefeld of Bolton, Mass. Connelly, the 1999 Greater Bangor Open champion, shot a 67 for his 131, and Hanefeld, the ’03 Maine Open winner, added a 64 to his opening 67 to match Connelly.

In fourth is first-round leader Brent Wanner of Orleans, Mass., after a 69 for 132, and Jerry Diphilippo of Gorham is fifth at 133 after shooting a 67 Friday.

The low amateur is Will Robinson of Cumberland, who came in with a 73 for 137. Next is current two-time Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur titlist Ricky Jones of Thomaston at 68-139, with Keith Patterson of Saco at 70-140 and Jesse Speirs of Bangor fourth amateur at 72-141.

The low 40 pros and ties and low 15 amateurs and ties advanced to today’s 18-hole finale. The pro cut was 143, while the amateur cut was 146.

Oppenheim opened his string with four rounds at the Canadian PGA Tour’s Montreal Open last Thursday through Sunday, finishing third. Then he played the Cleveland Golf Tour’s Sterling (Mass.) Open Monday through Wednesday and finished third again. The Maine Open started Thursday.

“When you’re making putts, it’s fun,” said Oppenheim. “When you’re not, it’s a grind.”

And he did make putts Friday.

“I made a lot of nice 6- to 10-footers,” he said.

They were set up by a take-no-prisoners attitude off the tee, where he hit driver on most holes, including the short par 4s, unlike many of his competitors.

“You can play this course aggressively,” he said of the 6,406-yard layout. “I think that’s the way to play a course if you can.”

He birdied the first hole (normally No. 10 as the nines are reversed for this tournament), then birdied four in a row starting with No. 5, all short par 4s but with tight fairways, elevation changes, or both.

Oppenheim added a birdie on 10, but suffered his only bogey when he three-putted No. 12, a long, downhill par-3 with a rough green that has putts bouncing a lot as the balls roll toward the cup.

“It kicked in yesterday (for birdie) and kicked out today, so I guess I’m even,” said Oppenheim, smiling.

He could afford to smile because he birdied four of the next five holes.

Oppenheim, the leading money-winner on the Cleveland Tour this year after the first five events, has won twice this year already – the Cleveland Tour opener at Atkinson, N.H., and the New Hampshire Open and he led both of them going into the final round.

“It’s always tough going into the last round with the lead,” said Oppenheim, “but it’s tougher when you’re a stroke or two behind.”

That’s the problem Connelly and Hanefeld face.

Connelly’s approach to his round was different than Oppenheim’s.

“I stayed patient and let the round happen. I took it one hole at a time,” said Connelly, who was also the Maine Open runner-up in ’99.

He birdied No. 2, then gave that stroke right back with a bogey on 3. Birdies on 8, 10, 13, 14, and 17 put him in the lead until Oppenheim’s 63 vaulted him in front.

“Scores have been low around (New England) all year,” said Connelly. “It seems like every week somebody plays well.”

Mike Baker of Stratton, a teaching pro at Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley, was hoping to do better than a second straight 69 which eventually left him tied for 17th, eight strokes off the lead.

“Somebody with a hot putter in my shoes could’ve done something today,” said Baker, who pointed to the 331-yard, par-4 17th hole as an example.

“I had a 4-footer, straight up the hill,” said Baker. “A 4-year-old could have made it. It was almost too easy.”

But Baker’s putt rolled over the right edge and stayed out.

“At least I’m not struggling to make the cut,” he said.