Final GBO is attracting some first-time sponsors

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Monday afternoon, Bob Curtis of Bangor walked into the pro shop at Bangor Municipal Golf Course and signed up to be a sponsor for this year’s 41st and final Greater Bangor Open presented by Hollywood Slots at Bangor.

Curtis, a 46-year-old involved in property management, is a 24-handicapper at Bangor, where he holds a season pass. His friend, Bob Jankowski of Bangor, had told him how much fun he had had playing in the GBO pro-am, which is one of the perks of being a sponsor.

Last year, Curtis watched Jankowski, who owns Harley Plumbing and Heating Plus, and decided that was something he would like to do in the future.

“I wanted to wait, to get better,” said Curtis, “but now there’s no waiting.”

He also said, with a laugh, “If this is the last one, I want that shirt [that goes to sponsors].”

Brian Enman, head pro at Bangor Muni, said handicaps are not an issue because there are both gross and net team competitions.

“It’s something anyone can have fun with,” said Enman. “It’s best ball, so if you’re having a bad hole, you can pick up. It’s not a big deal.”

Curtis is all about having fun on the golf course.

“You can’t let work rule your life,” he said with a laugh.

He will team with Jankowski and another friend and frequent golfing partner, Wayne Hartt, a self-employed electrician from Stillwater who is also a first-time sponsor.

“The three of us play together consistently,” said Hartt. “This [the GBO pro-am] is new to me, too. We’re making memories here.”

Both said they felt it was important to show support for the pros, many of whom are trying to earn a living and hoping to improve enough to eventually advance to the PGA Tour.

“It’s too bad for a pro to come up here and there aren’t enough [sponsors] to come out and let them play,” said Curtis.

“We help them out and have some fun at the same time,” added Hartt.

Enman said that people like Curtis and Hartt are helping with one of the worries that the board of directors have as the dates approach for the GBO, July 26-28 with the pro-am on July 25.

“Our worries are, number one, sponsorships and, number two, players,” said Enman.

While many former players will miss the last GBO because the fledgling North Atlantic Pro Golf Tour has scheduled an event the same weekend as the GBO, Enman is confident there will be a competitive field.

“We’ll have some regulars and some new ones,” said Enman. “I don’t know how many we’ll have from the North Atlantic tour.”

Players can subscribe to play the entire 10-event NAPGT schedule or a five-event half-season, so some may take that weekend off to play the GBO.

Two-time champion Matt Donovan of Pittsfield, Mass., is one who will be back, according to Enman, and the popular New England Chrysler Q-school Shootout will be featured again.

There will also be the Junior GBO on July 16 for 14- to 17-year-olds with a handicap of 12 or lower. Last year, the top three advanced to play in the GBO.

The entry fee for the GBO is $325 for pros, $175 for amateurs. In addition, there is a new senior pro category. Senior pros can compete in the regular field, against just senior pros for $175, or in both categories for $500.

“We thought we might get some of the players from before who might not be as competitive for the top purse against the young guns,” said Enman.

After all the prizes are paid out and the bills paid, Enman said, “If we have money left over, we’ll donate it to a local charity. If we have another [probably amateurs only] tournament, we’ll start fresh.”

Meanwhile, the emphasis remains on this year’s event.

“We’re working to make this last one a good one, a successful one,” said Enman.

Speirs transferring to Ole Miss

Jesse Speirs of Bangor is transferring from Texas Christian University to the University of Mississippi.

“I wasn’t really that happy there,” said Speirs, who wouldn’t go into specifics. “There were a few things I wasn’t happy about.”

Speirs also wanted to be closer to his girlfriend, Rachel Ingram, who already attends Ole Miss.

“We met at a junior tournament five years ago,” he said. “We stayed in touch and started dating last year.”

Speirs, who will be a junior, will be able to play right away.

“It’s a different conference [TCU is in the Mountain West and Mississippi is in the SEC] and they gave me a release,” he said.

TCU coach Bill Montigel was caught off guard by Speirs’ decision.

“He was surprised, but he didn’t want to hold me back,” said Speirs.

Ole Miss coach Ernest Ross had the opposite reaction.

“He was pretty excited I was coming,” said Speirs, adding, “What they have going on there is what I’ll need for the next couple of years.”

Dave Barber can be reached at 990-8170, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.