Baldwin, Westfall lead Warren by 2 strokes

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AUBURN – Mark Baldwin of Laconia, N.H., has been a golf pro for only about 14 months, so he’s still learning what it takes to survive as he plays state opens, an occasional mini-tour event, and other tournaments.

At the moment he is focusing on relaxing.

Tuesday, he relaxed his way to a 3-under-par 69 at Fox Ridge Golf Club and is tied for the lead with Todd Westfall of Clendennin, W.Va., after the first round of the 89th Charlie’s Maine Open Golf Championship.

Shawn Warren of Windham, who won this tournament as an amateur in 2004, double-bogeyed the final hole, but he still finished with a 71.

In fourth at 72 are host pro Bob Darling Jr. of Lewiston, Ross McGee of Fairfield, Rob Corcoran of Melbourne, Fla., and Martin Catalioto of Saddle River, N.J.

Defending champion Ricky Jones of Thomaston double-bogeyed 17 and finished at 74.

After today’s round, the field will be trimmed to the low 40 and ties for Thursday’s 18-hole finale.

When he didn’t birdie any of the first 14 holes at Fox Ridge Golf Club, Baldwin maintained his composure.

“Over the last stretch, I tried to stay very relaxed,” said Baldwin. “Ideally, that creates a solid closing.”

And that it did as he birdied three of the last four holes after making 14 straight pars.

He birdied 15 (normally No. 6 as the nines were reversed this year) by making a 12-foot putt, just missed a 10-foot birdie putt on 16, nailed a 25-footer for birdie on 17, and finished with a 7-foot birdie putt on 18.

“I felt like the golf course played easier than last year,” said Baldwin, who said he tied for sixth in 2006.

He didn’t mind a strong wind that was blowing when he teed off just before 10:30 a.m.

“[A steady wind] is less of a guessing game,” said Baldwin. “It was less [steady] on the back and it made the shots around the water more difficult and intimidating.”

His strong finish didn’t bring a sense of relief, though, that he had finally broken through to get birdies.

“It wasn’t relief, it was more like, ‘Let’s play 18 more,”‘ said Baldwin. “I feel like there are a lot more birdies to be made.”

Baldwin said he has been playing well since he turned pro in June 2006, including winning last year’s New Hampshire Open.

“I’ve been mostly top five, top 10 in every event,” he said, including fourth at the Greater Bangor Open last month.

“I snuck in under the radar,” he said of the GBO.

As the Fox Ridge pro, Darling can’t sneak in, and he felt good about the round he posted.

“Especially after last year’s first round [80],” he said.

“I put more pressure on myself last year,” he added, because it was the first time the club hosted the Maine Open.

“This year was a little different,” Darling said with a big smile.

McGee, who turned pro just before the GBO, is getting more comfortable in his job choice.

“When I played at Bangor, I put more pressure on myself than I needed to,” he said.

Shortly after that, on Aug. 1, he qualified for the New England Open.

“That was a huge confidence booster for me,” said McGee.

He made the turn at 1 over par, then double-bogeyed 10. After three more pars, he started a birdie run of his own.

“The fifth [No. 14 Tuesday], I almost made hole-in-one,” he recalled. “I could’ve blown it in.”

He followed that birdie with another on 16 and a third on 17, getting back to even par.

Jones doesn’t feel like he’s out of contention yet.

“I feel like I can go out at any point and shoot a good number,” said Jones. “I won with even par last year and I’m 2 over now, so I don’t feel like I’m too far off that pace.”