ROCKLAND – Brian and Jim Reading are brothers, although it would be difficult to know that from the way they act on the golf course.

They compliment each other on good shots and commiserate on the ones that don’t go just right.

“We try to encourage each other,” said Jim Reading (pronounced Reeding).

“And we get real quiet if somebody is not playing well,” added Brian.

Enough went right Friday in the opening round of the 43rd Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament that the two 6-hadicappers could chat while they put up respectable scores at Rockland Golf Club.

Jim Reading, 50, finished with a 6-over-par 76, and Brian, 47, was right behind at 77.

Co-leaders Ross McGee of Clinton and three-time Bunyan champ Ricky Jones of Thomaston lead at even-par 70, followed by Steve Lycette of Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland at 71 and Adam Duplisea of Bangor at 72.

The Division B leader is Joseph Alexander III of Winterport after shooting a 75 at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor, and Alan Gray of Old Town leads Division C after posting an 83 at Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono.

Jim Reading and his family still live in the Readings’ hometown of San Diego, while Brian and his wife, Claire Sullivan, moved to Maine about 15 years ago. They now live in Bangor.

“We came out of grad school [in Seattle] at the same time,” said Brian, who is an architect. Sullivan is a professor in communications and journalism at the University of Maine. “We thought mine [job opportunity] would be more flexible. … Things worked out just fine.”

Once Brian arrived, he wanted Jim to come east and play.

“Brian used to want me to come and play in this. It never worked out because of work,” said Jim, who is a physical fitness advisor for boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

Brian became a member at PVCC for five years, and they were able to get together for the club’s popular member-guest tournament.

“Then he stopped being a member,” said Jim.

But Brian turned to the Bunyan again and they worked it out.

“I wanted the tradition [fun tournament, good times] to continue,” said Brian. “I show him all the good stuff. He’s addicted to Gifford’s Ice Cream.”

Jim expected there would be a change between what he was used to in southern California and what he would find in Maine.

“I grew up on Torrey Pines [site of the PGA Tour’s Buick Invitational]. It’s insanely long, about 7,600 yards from the back. They don’t even open those except for tournaments. The courses are shorter here,” he said.

Rockland plays to a little more than 6,000 yards from the white tees.

The other difference had nothing to do with golf course design, construction, or anything else related to golf.

“I knew it would be different because there would be weather,” he said. “There is no weather in San Diego.”

Last year, they asked tournament director Skip Chappelle to let them play together, if possible. It was, and they did it again this year.

Walter Hurley of Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley, the third player in their group, said, “They’re fun to play with. There wasn’t a bad word between them. They’re not like any brothers I know.”

“The whole idea is to be out with friends and have a good time,” said Brian. “I used to be a hothead, but life is too short.”

The Readings, who had never played together in a tournament before the PVCC member-guests, enjoy the Bunyan.

“I played in a few [San Diego] City Amateurs,” said Jim. “That was serious. This is serious but fun.”

It didn’t appear to be as much fun for the top players.

“I just couldn’t make anything,” said Joe Alvarez of Hampden, who shot 75. “There are going to be a lot of scores in the 60s. The course is set up easy.”

Jones, playing his home club, thought the scores should be lower, too.

“It’s a good day for scoring,” he said.

Nobody did, though, and it may have been that the Readings were two of the few who would acknowledge having fun.