BANGOR – Eyesight is such an important aspect of most people’s golf games, Shawn Warren of Windham could be considered lucky to be able to play golf at all.

He suffered broken bones under his left eye in a car accident in early May, but no one would know it by the score he posted Thursday in the opening round of the 41st Greater Bangor Open golf tournament, sponsored by Hollywood Slots at Bangor.

Sharp wedge play and using the firm fairways to his advantage led Warren to shoot a 4-under-par 65 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course and a tie for second in the $50,000 event.

Warren trails Michael Welch of North Quincy, Mass., by four strokes. Welch recorded 11 3s and seven 4s en route to a course-record 61 late in the afternoon.

The previous record of 62 was shot by amateur Jesse Speirs of Bangor in the opening round of the 2002 GBO.

Tied with Warren are defending champion Marc Lawless of Aptos, Calif., and 1999 Maine Open champ Kyle Gallo of Kensington, Conn. In fifth at 66 are 2001 GBO winner Jim Salinetti of Lee, Mass., and Jerry Wood of Martinsville, Va.

Former Husson College player Joe Finemore of Bonita Springs, Fla., and Mike Carbone of Brewster, Mass., share seventh at 67, and Jeff Seavey of Warren leads a group of four at 68.

Speirs and last year’s low amateur, Brad Wheatley of Shirley, Mass., top the amateur ranks at even-par 69.

After today’s second round, the field will be cut to the low 50 and ties for Saturday’s 18-hole finale.

Warren, the 2004 Maine Open champion as an amateur and the 2006 victor in the Maine Amateur, said he was worried about the effect the accident might have on his eyesight.

“I was pretty confident they were going to be able to fix it,” he said.

It was a long process, however.

“I have three plates around my [left] eye and a titanium bar,” he said. “I was laid up the whole month of May and half of June.”

The recovery has been faster than he expected.

“It’s come back quickly,” said Warren, who is now setting up plastic surgery for the injured area.

“The look is what I’m worried about now. The muscles were cut, so the eye doesn’t open and close as well as it should,” he said.

Apparently, it was working fine Thursday morning.

“I birdied the first hole, I was on the par 5 [No. 4] in two and two-putted [for birdie], and on 5 my drive was about 5 yards off the green and I chipped to a foot [and made the putt for birdie],” he said. “Bang, I’m 3 under in the first five holes.”

He adjusted his game plan after seeing how firm the course was playing during a pre-tournament round.

“It reminds me of the British Open,” Warren said. “If you try to hit a high ball, you don’t know where it will go when it lands.

“I play a low knockdown because I know it will run [a long way]. You take [the course] for what it is and play bump and run [to get on the greens].”

After missing the cut in the TD Banknorth Portland Open late last month in his first full tournament as a pro, he took another couple of weeks off before playing in the New Hampshire Open over the weekend.

“I was fifth at New Hampshire, and that was a real positive finish for me,” he said. “It gave me confidence to know I could still play.”

Now he wants to follow it with another good round this afternoon, but the course could be firmer with more wind, which tends to make scores higher.

“If I shoot a good number in the afternoon, I’ve got it made,” said Warren. “I feel like tomorrow anything in the 60s will be a good round.”

That makes Welch’s round – he started just after noon -especially great as he posted eight birdies and no bogeys.

He birdied the first hole, then Nos. 4, 5, and 9 to turn in 31. He parred the next three but finished with a flurry as he birdied 13, 15, 17, and 18 for 30 on the back and 61 total.

GBO FIRST-ROUND LEADERS

Michael Welch 61

Marc Lawless 65

Shawn Warren 65

Kyle Gallo 65

Jim Salinetti 66

Jerry Wood 66

Joe Finemore 67

Michael Carbone 67

Jeff Seavey 68

Drew Whitten 68

Mark DiGiacomo 68

Rob Corcoran 68