Bob Girvan II of Kenduskeag leads a tightly packed field after the first round of the 26th annual Bangor Daily News Amateur Golf Tournament.

Girvan, the winner of the 1977 and 1982 tournaments, fired a 2-under-par 69 Friday at Bangor Municipal Golf Course to take a 1-stroke lead over Dave Brown of Bangor, Bruce Gerrity of Augusta, Sean Clark of Bar Harbor, and Mike Norris of Bangor.

Another stroke back at even par are two-time defending champion Mark Plummer of Augusta, Al Bouchard of Falmouth, Jamie Place of Morrill, Brian Lawton and Len Cole of Hampden, Jon Martin of East Sullivan, Jim Winchester of East Holden, and Kevin Nickerson of Belfast.

At 72 are Ron Brown Jr. of Cumberland Foreside, ’78 champ Ralph Noel Jr. of Auburn, Arnie Clark of Kennebunk, Keith Patterson II of North WaAuburn, Arnie Clark of Kennebunk, Keith Patterson II of North Waterboro, and Mark Paine of Madison.

“I felt pretty good after I got going,” said Girvan.

Girvan got going by dropping a 48-foot putt for birdie on the eighth hole.

“I needed that,” said Girvan, who had three-putted to bogey the first and third holes. “After the first three holes, if you’d asked me, I would have said I wouldn’t break 80.”

Girvan bogeyed No. 11 to go 2 over par, but it was his final bogey of the day.

With birdies on 13, 14, and 15, Girvan quickly dropped down into red numbers and stayed there. A birdie on 18 gave him the early lead and nobody was able to match his effort.

“I’m hitting the ball good,” said Girvan, adding he hadn’t played much before the first of the month. He had to do some work on his house because of a new baby in the family, and his play has been limited to mostly weekends.

Brown, who won this tournament in 1980, the last tournament he played as an amateur, was pleased to be so close to the lead.

“I kept the ball in play today,” said Brown.

“I played 6 through 12 in even par,” said Brown of the toughest part of the course.

Brown, who was 1 over par entering that stretch after three-putting the second hole, offset a birdie on No. 7 with a bogey on 12. But he birdied 13 to get back to even, added another on 15 when he got up and down from right of the green, then bogeyed 17, and finished with a birdie on 18.

Brown said the key to his round was the chipping practice he got early – very early – Friday morning.

“I woke up about 3:30. I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I had a bowl of cereal about 4:15. It was getting light then, so I went out and chipped balls,” Brown said, laughing. “It really helped.”

Sean Clark, 22, was a model of consistency, hitting 17 greens in regulation.

“I was quite a ways away (from the pins on the greens), though. That’s why it was 70 and not lower,” said Clark.

Clark birdied 10 and 17 to also be 2 under par, but bogeyed the final hole to drop back to 70.

“I played the par 5s 1 over, which is pretty bad considering I had short irons into them,” said Clark.

Norris, who has played at Bangor for many years, was glad to start at Bangor.

“It’s my home course. I should play well,” said Norris.

Still, he said, “I was quite surprised I did that well. I was on vacation last week, and I took the whole week off. I didn’t play any golf.”

Norris, who has been playing the Maine State Golf Association’s weekend tournaments, didn’t play well in the last two “and I didn’t expect to play well here.”

The key for Norris was his game from tee to green.

“I didn’t have any penalty strokes, which is unusual for me. If you stay inbounds, you’re going to score,” said Norris.

Gerrity was 3 over after 12 holes, but quickly turned it around with a birdie on 13 and an eagle on the short, par-5 15th. He added another birdie on 18.

Plummer, who has won this tournament nine times in the 14 times he has competed, had three birdies and three bogeys.

“I just wanted to make sure I didn’t shoot myself out with a 76,” said Plummer. “You know you’re not going to be far out if you shoot par.”

Plummer birdied 2, bogeyed 6 and 10, birdied 15, bogeyed 17, and birdied 18.

“It was kind of an uneventful round, which is what I was hoping for,” Plummer said.

For the Class A golfers, play continues Saturday at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor before finishing Sunday at Rockland Golf Club.

The field of 624 is split into four divisions. Leading Class B is Richard Cox of Camden, who shot a 73 at Kebo. Peter McPheters of Millinocket leads Class C with an 80 at Bar Harbor Golf Course in Trenton. Larry Freeman of Bangor and Ed Drinkwine of Winthrop are tied for the Class D lead after recording 82s at Rockland.