BAR HARBOR — A bit more wind, a bit less moisture and some hole locations cut in hard-to-reach spots made for a tighter — and tougher — golf course Wednesday.

Ryan Gay of Pittston, who became the youngest Maine Amateur champion two years ago with a victory at Biddeford-Saco Country Club, took the changes, and the challenges, in stride.

After a pair of bogeys to finish the front nine at 2-over, the sophomore-to-be at the University of New Mexico knocked in four birdies on the back nine to shoot a 2-under-par 68, good for a two-day total of even-par 140 and the lead at the 91st Maine Amateur Championship at Kebo Valley Golf Club.

“I didn’t feel like I hit it that great today, but my putting was better,” Gay said.

Well, after the front nine, anyway.

Gay’s round began steadily, with seven pars through seven holes. Then he got into trouble.

“I was hitting greens, but leaving myself, like, 40 feet,” Gay said. “Then I missed the green on the eighth hole 20 yards to the right … and nine I missed the green, chipped it up close and missed the putt.”

He turned things around with the putter on the back nine, and despite making four birdies — including a 20-footer with a two-foot bend on 18 — Gay felt there could have been more.

“Thirteen, I hit it to 20 feet, lipped out,” Gay said. “Fourteen, hit it to the front edge and lipped out for eagle, fifteen I lipped out on the high side for birdie, sixteen lipped out on the low side, and on seventeen the ball just hung on the edge but didn’t drop.”

Jason Gall, who sped out to a one-shot lead after the first round with a 3-under 67, started finding trouble on the third hole, and struggled before fighting off some poor play and carding a 4-over 74.

“I struggled today, big time,” Gall said. “I felt like I was lucky to shoot 74, like I could have been at 85 or worse. After all of the shenanigans that went on early in the round, I was shanking the the ball today, had a couple hooks.”

Gall is still just one back at 141 for two days, and after his opening-nine struggles, he felt that he’d found enough of his game on the back nine to still be in contention Thursday.

“I righted the ship on the back,” Gall said. “I feel like I’ve found enough to feel good going out (Thursday) and going after it.”

Fifteen-year-old Seth Sweet of Madison began the day one back of Gall after a 68 on Day 1. Wednesday, he caught Gall, but was still one off the lead after a 3-over 73 put him at 141 through two days, one back of Gay.

“I felt like I hit the ball well again today, but the putts just weren’t going,” Sweet said. “I didn’t change my approach at all. It’s just the putting that lacked today.”

He’ll be the youngest member of the final group on Thursday, and he’ll be looking to become the youngest Maine Amateur champion ever, but Sweet said he doesn’t expect to be all that nervous.

“I feel confident about it,” Sweet said. “The way I’m striking the ball right now, if I can get some putts to fall, I feel pretty good about (Thursday).”

Overall, most golfers felt that, while the humidity was down, a stiffer ocean breeze and tougher pins made it tougher to shoot low on the tourney’s second day.

“The course played tougher today,” Martindale’s Jace Pearson said. “The greens are soft, so you can still fire at them, but the course, overall, played tougher. Someone could have gone low out there today, though.”

“Because of the wind, it played tougher,” Gay said. “I think the pins were tougher (Thursday), too.”

Johnny Hayes IV of Purpoodock, at even to begin the day, shot 75 to fall back to 145. Of the six players who began the day tied for fourth after shooting 71 on Tuesday, none shot as well or better. Matt Greenleaf was the best of them, shooting 72 to finish three back of the lead at 143. Tw0-time champ Ricky Jones came in with a 73 to finish at 144.

Brian Bilodeau of Martindale followed his 71 with a 77 to finish at 148, as did Chris Hamel of Natanis. Scott Stone was 71-79 for 150, while Tom Chard was 71-82 for 153 to just make the cut, which fell at 153.

Some familiar faces also showed that they can still crank ’em, too.

With the best round of the morning wave of players, former champion Eric Crouse — the 1998 champion who won at Kebo Valley — fired a 1-under 69, 10 strokes better than his 79 from the day before. The turnaround more than assured he’d make the cut, and put him in striking distance of the lead with a round to play.

“I’m only one shot worse now than I was in 1998,” Crouse said. “I was 70-77 after two days that year, and I think I was in the second-to-last group. So the scores this year are all a bit better.”

Crouse said the key Wednesday was not to try and make up the whole deficit in one fell swoop.

“I started the day, with 36 holes to play, I was nine-over,” Crouse said. “I made one of those up today, and there’s still another day to play.”

Another past champion, Ron Brown Jr., ramped up his game for the second day, too. After a disappointing 82 on Tuesday, Brown shot a 71 Wednesday to finish at 153, assuring he’d make the cut.

Brown, playing in his 36th consecutive Maine Amateur, will almost assuredly be back in the field next year for No. 37, with the tourney on its way to his home course of Portland Country Club in Falmouth.

Area golfers to make the cut included Pearson (146), Curtis Jordan (147), Andrew Slattery (147), Joe Manganaro (148), Bilodeau (148) and Bob Langlois (153).