Fox Ridge pro trails leader by three shots entering final round
PORTLAND – The hole “looked like a bushel basket” to Bob Darling as he stood over his 25-footer on the eighth hole, his 17th of the day.
As the ball snaked its way across the hill, it broke 14 inches to the right and poured into the center of the cup. The birdie, Darling’s fourth of the day to go with a bogey and an eagle, helped him to a 5-under-par 67 and vaulted him back into contention at the 85th Charlie’s Maine Open at Riverside Municipal Golf Course.
“That was one of those putts that reminds you of being 12 and just being able to walk up to it and hit it, knowing where it was going to go,” said Darling. “The hardest thing about that putt was taking my time and not rushing the stroke.”
Darling nearly added another birdie to finish his round on the following hole, but his 35-foot offering from the front edge of the green slid left of the hole as it slowed. Still, his 67 equaled the best round of the day and moved him within three shots of leader Eric Jorgensen, who fired a second-round 69 to finish with a two-day total of 11-under-par 133.
“I’m just looking forward to having the chance to get it right this time,” said Darling. “I wasn’t necessarily nervous last year, but I played tentative, and you can’t do that and win on this course.”
The biggest difference for Darling is that instead of holding a one-shot edge, he has to make up three strokes against an opponent who knows something about winning.
Jorgensen, whose first-round score of 64 Wednesday was his best as a professional, followed with a 69 on Thursday. Jorgensen won the Big Ten tournament in 2002 while playing for Michigan State, the first from his school to accomplish that feat, and he also won the North-South Amateur at Pinehurst in June of 2002.
“It’s been a while since I’ve won a tournament,” said Jorgensen, who turned pro after completing his career at Michigan State this spring. “I’m happy with today’s score, overall. There were a few putts that didn’t fall, but that’s just the way it went. Tomorrow should be a good day to play and the course is in remarkable shape for all the rain we’ve had.”
Joining Darling and Jorgensen in the final group Friday is Kirk Hanefeld of the International Golf Club in Bolton, Mass. Hanefeld fired a 70 Thursday to finish at 135, two back of Jorgensen.
In the second group are low amateur Jason Gall of Augusta Country Club, Joey Iaciofano and Mike Meehan. Iaciofano led last year’s Greater Portland Open at Riverside after two rounds but lost ground in the final round.
“The greens rolled really well today and we were able to make some putts early,” said Iaciofano. “The scores, with the course drying out a little bit, will start to go lower, I think.”
After torrential rain battered the course Tuesday, Wednesday’s round, to some players, felt like “hitting from a sponge.” On Thursday, a crisp wind steadily dried out the course, but tough pin placements wreaked havoc on the field. Compared to 47 on Wednesday, just 33 golfers broke par Thursday.
The first tee time on Friday is at 8 a.m, and the leaders are expected to tee off at 10:42.
jpelletier@sunjournal.com
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