Three tie for first-round lead Hawley goes by the book, shoots a 65 with Rasku, Thompson

BANGOR – While most golfers will agree that reading putts well leads to lower scores, Scott Hawley has found that reading about putting has led to lower scores.

The pro from Shrewsbury, Mass., shot a 4-under-par 65 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course to tie for the first-round lead in the $50,000 Greater Bangor Open sponsored by Hollywood Slots at Bangor.

Hawley matched Dennis Rasku of Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Jim Thompson of Smithtown, N.Y., who had come in 2-4 hours earlier.

Another stroke back are 2000 GBO champ Bill Downes of Longmeadow, Mass., Corey Brigham of Runson, N.J., and Phil Moore of Stratham, N.H.

Jim Hallett of South Yarmouth, Mass., leads a large group at 67, and 2001 GBO winner Jim Salinetti of Lee, Mass., tops a quartet of players at 68.

Two-time defending champion Matt Donovan of Pittsfield, Mass., double-bogeyed the last hole to post a 70, and Jason Harvey of Bangor heads the amateurs after shooting a 68.

The field will be cut after today’s round to the low 40 pros and ties and low 12 amateurs and ties for Saturday’s 18-hole finale.

Following Saturday’s round, at approximately 5 p.m., the top nine pros and ties will participate in the Chrysler Q-School Shootout. The winner will have his $4,500 entry fee into the PGA Tour Qualifying School paid for.

“This was probably my first good round here,” said Hawley, a 28-year-old making his fourth GBO appearance. He made the cut the first three times but never finished very high.

Last week, Hawley was given “The Art of Putting,” written by PGA Tour player Stan Utley.

“I read it Friday night, practiced it Saturday, and shot 59 Sunday [at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, Mass.],” said Hawley. Pleasant Valley used to host a PGA Tour event.

“He’s well known as the best putter on Tour,” said Hawley. “He’s helped guys like Jay Haas and Darren Clarke.

“He used to help guys for nothing, but his wife finally made him charge for it. Now, he’s finally come out with a book.”

Hawley said Utley doesn’t push any unusual ideas or setups.

“Slow, soft, natural, and neutral are a lot of the words he uses,” said Hawley.

He made it easy for himself by hitting his approach shots close and giving himself easy birdie opportunities.

He hit his tee shot on the par-3 third 3-4 feet past the hole and sank the putt, two-putted for birdie on the par-5 fourth, then drove the green on the par-4 fifth hole and two-putted from 20 feet for birdie.

Hawley knocked an easy wedge to 3-4 feet on No. 7 and made the putt to drop to 4 under.

He bogeyed Nos. 8 and 12 to fall to 2 under but sank another 3- to 4-foot putt for birdie on 13 and drained a 20-footer on 18 “with maybe 5 to 6 feet of break” for birdie to complete his 65.

“I drive the ball pretty well, and I hit my irons well enough to shoot low scores,” said Hawley. “My putting was slowest to come around this year.”

Being atop a leader board is not unknown for Hawley, who plays on both the Canadian PGA Tour and New England Pro Golf Tour.

“I won the Cape Cod Open this year, and I’ve been in position a couple of times this year [in Canada],” he said.

“I’m not thinking I’ve got this licked. I’ll read some more and practice again,” said Hawley.

Rasku opened with birdies on 2, 5, and 9 and a bogey on 6 to turn in 33, then played clean on the back with birdies on 12 and 18 and the rest pars.

Thompson also birdied No. 2, then bogeyed 3 but finished his front with birdies on 6, 7, and 9. Birdies followed on 11 and 14, but his round was hurt by a bogey on 16.

Hallett, who finished in the top 10 in last year’s GBO, was pleased after his round.

“Patience is the key,” said the former PGA Tour player. “The greens will get firmer, and it’s the guy who’s most patient [who wins].”