BANGOR, Maine - Eric Egloff of Sandy Springs, Md., posted a 9-under-par 62 Wednesday in the Hollywood Slots Greater Bangor Open golf tournament pro-am at Bangor Municipal Golf Course.
The 1995 GBO champ’ s round was two strokes better than the rest of the field, but he knows it’ s too early to accept the winner’ s check based on it.
“I don’ t put a lot of stock in the pro-am round,” he said with a smile.
“It’ s a good confidence-builder, for sure,” he added.
That’ s because he knows the way the course is set up for the pro-am doesn’ t match the setup for the regular portion of the $50,000 event, which begins today and continues through Saturday.
And the changes don’ t just apply to the tee placements. The weather is also usually a major factor.
“I’ ve never seen a course play so differently over three days,” he said.
Rain this week will leave its mark, according to Egloff, who is playing for the 14th straight year.
“The course is very soft,” he said of the layout which will play at just over 6,400 yards and a par of 69 as the two par-5s on the back are converted to par-4s. “It’ s about the softest I’ ve seen it.”
Players may have to hit a longer club in order to reach the green — an 8-iron or 9-iron compared to a pitching wedge or sand wedge — and that could lead to longer putts.
“Being able to control the ball around the hole will be the key,” said Egloff. “Getting the ball to pin-high will be a challenge.”
Egloff took some time off from tournament play earlier this year and worked at a club in Florida instead.
“The last couple of weeks I’ ve been getting back in tournament mode,” he said.
He has been knocking the rust off quickly.
He finished tied for third at the New Hampshire Open, which ended Tuesday, and he tied for second at the Maryland Open.
“I haven’ t played in my own state open in eight years,” said the veteran of many New England state open tournaments.
“I’ ve been on a good run lately. I hope to keep it going,” he said.
He’ ll have plenty of competition in the 103-player field, including Matt Donovan of Pittsfield, Mass., the only back-to-back GBO winner (2004, ‘ 05).
While last year’ s champ, Rob Oppenheim of Andover, Mass., did not return, the two players who tied for second have — Michael Carbone of Brewster, Mass., and Bryan O’ Melia of Lexington, Mass.
Scott Hawley of Shrewsbury, Mass., who lost a playoff to Marc Lawless of Atkinson, Mass., in 2006, is also in the field.
Former Maine Open champions Kyle Gallo of Kensington, Conn., and James Gilleon of Winterspring, Fla., are also playing. Gallo was third in the 2004 GBO and fourth in ‘ 03, while Gilleon was runner-up in 2000.
Toby Spector of Waterville is making his GBO pro debut, and Shawn Warren of Windham, Fairfield native Ross McGee and Orono native Stuart Cady also add a Maine flavor to the pro contingent.
John Hickson of Topsham, who won the ‘ 97 GBO, is also entered.
Egloff won’ t shy away from any competition.
“It’ d be nice to get another [GBO trophy], get Paul Bunyan’ s twin,” he said.
In the Mid-Maine Communications Long Drive Contest, Jason Parajeckas of Woburn, Mass., was longest at 313.8 yards, followed by amateur Marc-Andre Champagne at 306.2 and James Fuller of West Palm Beach, Fla., at 306.