PORTLAND – Joe Clark Jr. of Holderness, N.H., has been playing tournament golf for a lot of years.

Last winter, he began wondering if it was time to stop.

“I told my wife I was getting tired of it,” said Clark, 38. “I don’t know if she believed me.”

Clark took the winter off, wondering if he would have the enthusiasm to play again.

“Then this spring, I got the urge back,” said Clark.

He made the most of it Friday as he posted a six-under-par 66 at Riverside Municipal Golf Course and won the Maine Open Golf Championship by one stroke.

Clark’s 66, after rounds of 68-68, gave him a three-day total of 202.

Jeff Julian of Hartland, Vt., birdied the last hole for 68 a Jeff Julian of Hartland, Vt., birdied the last hole for 68 and 203.

Paul Parajeckas of Woburn, who was tied for the lead after the first day and the clear leader after the second day, came in with 71 and finished third at 205.

Jerry DiPhilippo of Portland, an assistant pro at Falmouth Country Club, and Joe Cioe of West Dover, Vt., tied for fourth at 206. DiPhilippo shot 68 and Cioe 70.

Bryan Schewitz of Pretoria, South Africa, finished strong for 69 and came in sixth at 207.

Tied for seventh at 208 were Dan Neary (69 Friday) of Centerville, Mass., Bob Kay (69) of West Dover, Vt., Ken Mattiace (69) of Jacksonville, Fla., and Jeff Lewis (70) of Cummaquid, Mass.

Because DiPhilippo earned more money on the regular pro prize list than he would on the Maine pro list, Mike Baker of Bangor, the assistant pro at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor, earned top Maine money with 71-210.

Jim Nickerson of Augusta topped the amateurs with 70-212.

After Thursday’s play left him two strokes behind Parajeckas, Clark hoped to “light it up” on Friday and make a run at the top and the winner’s check of $5,000.

He did just that with his 66, which was the best round of the day.

Clark knew what he wanted to do and kept his mind on business for most of the round.

“I just felt focused all day,” said Clark. “This is the most focused I’ve been.”

He lost his focus for a little while on No. 11 when his group had a long wait to hit into the green.

“I got the focus back after 14,” said Clark.

His birdie there on the short, dogleg par-4 brought the round back into focus and propelled him to the win.

It also put in the lead after Parajeckas, who had led or was tied for the lead all the way around, bogeyed 14 for a two-stroke swing.

Clark lipped out a 15-foot birdie putt on 15, but ran one in on 16 from 18 inches to go two strokes in front at 14 under par.

He parred out, then had to wait to see how his pursuers, who were playing in the group behind him, did before he could claim the trophy.

Julian birdied 16 also to tie Parajeckas at 12 under, but neither could birdie No. 17.

Julian did birdie the last hole from 12 feet, but it was too late.

Parajeckas pressed for birdie and made bogey instead.

“I’m not going to hang my head,” said Parajeckas, 42. “There will be a day (to win).”

Although a top New England player for many years, Parajeckas has yet to win a state open.

“I had my chances, no question,” said Parajeckas. “I hit a couple of bad sand wedges and it cost me.”

For Julian, it was almost two big wins in a row. He won the Greater Bangor Open almost two weeks ago.

“I had three bogeys. That’s terrible out here,” said Julian. “The putter let me down. You should never three-putt these greens.”

After he made a “mediocre chip and terrible putt” on 15 to make bogey, he figured he needed to birdie the last three holes to win.

He could only make two.

Clark cut Parajeckas’ lead to a stroke after the first nine by making birdies on Nos. 1, 4, and 9. Parajeckas birdied 4 and 7.

They both birdied 10, but they shared the lead after 11 when Clark parred and Parajeckas three-putted for his first bogey of the tournament.

Parajeckas regained the lead with a birdie on 13, but then came the swing on 14.

Clark was clearly stunned by the victory.

“I have no idea what this feels like,” said Clark. “This is the ultimate for me.”

Maine Open results

PORTLAND – Final results of the $30,000 Maine Open Golf Championship on Friday at Riverside Municipal Golf Course. Par 72, 6,370 yards. (a-amateur, m-Maine chapter NEPGA pro) Joe Clark Jr. 68-68-66-202. Jeff Julian 67-68-68-203. Paul Parajeckas 66-68-71-205. m-Jerry DiPhilippo 70-68-68-206. Joe Cioe 70-66-70-206. Bryan Schewitz 66-72-69-207. Dan Neary 70-69-69-208. Jeff Lewis 70-68-70-208. Ken Mattiace 68-71-69-208. Bob Kay 69-70-69-208. m-Mike Baker 69-70-71-210. Rich Parker 67-70-73-210. Brian Quinn 70-72-69-211. Charlie Smith 74-68-69-211. Geoff Sisk 73-68-71-212. Larry Jones 75-67-70-212. a-Jim Nickerson 73-69-70-212. m-John Hickson 71-75-67-213. Jeff Duncan 70-70-73-213. Don Brigham 69-71-73-213. m-Brian Schindler 70-69-74-213. Lee Danielian 72-69-72-213. m-Tim Angis 71-72-70-213. a-Kim O’Neil 72-71-70-213. Roger Kennedy 74-70-69-213. Bill Downes 72-70-72-214. a-Mark Plummer 72-70-72-214. Pat Sheehan 72-72-70-214. Brian Brown 75-69-70-214. Tim Stafford 70-74-70-214. Bob Mattiace 71-72-72-215. Joe Catalano 71-71-73-215. Mike Elliott 74-71-70-215. Steve Robbins 72-70-74-216. Rich Berberian 73-71-72-216. Jim Becker 71-73-72-216. Jacques Panet-Raymond 75-70-71-216. Don Wright 73-74-69-216. m-Tom Roberts 74-73-69-216. m-Bob Darling Jr. 72-72-73-217. Pat Frasca 72-72-73-217. Mark Carens 74-71-72-217. m-Randy Hodsdon 71-74-72-217. Mike Chadwick 72-74-71-217. Hugh O’Neil 73-74-70-217. a-Ron Brown Jr. 73-73-72-218. Paul Barkhouse 70-76-72-218. m-Bob Mathews 74-72-72-218. a-George DeBlois 72-78-68-218. m-Mark L’Heureux 74-72-73-219. Rod Butcher 74-72-73-219. a-Mark Siewertsen 70-76-73-219. a-Jimmy Burke 74-72-73-219. John Simmons 76-71-72-219. Kerry Johnston 73-74-72-219. a-George Blaisdell 73-73-74-220. Stephen Pincince 73-74-73-220. a-Doug Higgins 74-73-73-220. a-Ted Vallee 74-75-71-220. Jay Dolan 72-72-77-221. Jeff Bailey 75-71-75-221. m-Leon Oliver 70-76-75-221. Brian Symonds 71-76-74-221. m-Dave Grygiel 74-74-73-221. Dave Baluik 71-72-79-222. m-Don Roberts 73-71-78-222. a-Randy Millen 71-76-75-222. m-Mark Fogg 77-73-72-222. a-Arnie Clark 75-75-72-222. Mike Ryan 73-73-77-223. Don Bell 71-75-77-223. m-Bill May 73-73-77-223. a-Eric Crouse 75-72-76-223. a-John Horowitz 77-74-72-223. a-Dick Crosby 73-78-72-223. a-Dale Brown 75-71-78-224. m-Chris McClure 74-73-77-224. m-Mo Guttman 74-77-73-224. a-John Conley 75-74-76-225. m-Evan Levine 75-73-77-225. a-Tom Delcourt 72-77-76-225. m-Bob O’Brian 75-75-75-225. a-Eric Hayward 76-75-74-225. Ed Whalley 72-75-79-226. a-Gary Manoogian 71-77-79-227. a-Elliott Favier 73-77-77-227. a-Brian Bickford 76-77-74-227. a-John Lincoln 76-74-78-228. a-Nick Glicos 78-73-77-228. m-Dave Jensen 75-75-79-229. a-Bourke O’Brien 79-74-76-229. m-Phil Grear 78-74-78-230. a-Fordie Pitts 76-75-81-232. m-Chris Angis 73-77-DNS. a-Brian Lawton 78-75-DNS. a-Matt Lucchesi 80-73-DNS. a-Joe Hearns DQ. . .