Welch records 2-stroke lead after 2 rounds Sirois shoots a 5-under 64 to move into second place

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BANGOR – “I squandered a chance to separate myself from the field. I brought everybody back in,” said Michael Welch of North Quincy, Mass.

Welch shot a 2-over-par 71 Friday at Bangor Municipal Golf Course for a two-day total of 132. He leads by two entering today’s final round of the Greater Bangor Open.

Welch had posted a tournament-record 61 Thursday and held a four-stroke margin entering Friday’s round.

“I had the putter working great yesterday,” he said. “When you’re putting good, it makes everything easier. Today was just the opposite.”

Lucas Sirois of Harriman, N.Y., cruised in with a 5-under 64 Friday for a 134. He’s another two strokes ahead of four players tied for third.

Jerry Wood of Plainville, Va., had a 70 Friday for 136, along with Todd Westfall (66 Friday) of Clendennin, W.Va., Kyle Gallo (71) of Kensington, Conn., and Rob Oppenheim (67) of Andover, Mass.

Jesse Speirs of Bangor leads the amateurs after shooting a 70 Friday for 139.

New this year was a 36-hole senior pro competition, which was won by Kerry Johnston of Indio, Calif. He had rounds of 70-67-137.

The cut for today’s 18-hole finale was 147 for the pros and 155 for the amateurs.

“It’s tough to follow a round like that,” said Welch of his 61. “You don’t want to think about it, and I didn’t after the first couple of holes.

“I was fighting myself all the way around.”

Welch opened with a bogey on No. 10, then bogeyed 12, 14, and 2.

He just missed a long birdie putt on 3 before cracking the birdie barrier when he reached the lone par 5 in two and two-putted.

He knocked in a short putt on No. 5 but gave one back with another bogey on 6.

He offset that with a birdie on 7, but just missed two more on his last two holes.

“When I’m putting good, I can putt with anybody,” said Welch. “I couldn’t get anything to go [Friday].”

It was just the opposite Thursday.

“I just got it going yesterday,” he said.

He made four birdies on the front nine Thursday but went cold on the back until he drove the 13th green and two-putted for birdie.

He sank a 40-footer on 14 for another bird, missed a 5-foot bird on 16, but drained 25-footers for birdies on the last two holes.

“All of a sudden, they all went in at the end of the round,” said Welch.

Even though he considers himself a good putter, that was almost too much even for Welch.

“Actually, I had to apologize to my playing partners,” he said with a smile. “I said, ‘Sorry, guys, I don’t know what’s happening.'”

Despite the scorching heat Thursday, he was eager for more golf.

“I wish I could have played the next 18 [Thursday] afternoon,” he said.

The 25-year-old Welch, who has been a pro for almost two years, is a Hooters Tour regular, but he has taken a short break.

“I live in Boston and I came up to visit family,” he said. “I decided to play some New England events.

“This is my last one before I go back to the Hooters Tour.”

He has three seconds overall, two this year, but he hasn’t won yet.

That could be about to change.

Sirois started right off with a birdie, added another on 5, and finished the front with a third. He parred the back until a birdie on 14, then birdied 16 and 17 before suffering his only bogey on 18.