Matt Greenleaf hadn’t played Bangor Municipal Golf Course since he was a teenager. Upon his return on Sunday, he made some lasting memories.
The Portland golfer shot an even-par 70 after firing a 2-over 72 on Saturday at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor to win the inaugural Downeast Metro Amateur Golf Tournament.
The 33-year-old Greenleaf posted a two-shot victory over Ricky Jones of Thomaston and Jack Wyman of South Freeport, each of whom finished at 144.
“I played this course blind today, but I struck it well enough to get it done,” said Greenleaf, who is a member at Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland.
“I credit that golf course for how well I play golf,” he added.
Sable Oaks member Mike O’Brien of Biddeford and Johnny Hayes IV of Cape Elizabeth and Prouts Neck Country Club shared fourth place at 145.
In the 51st Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament, Sam Grindle of Deer Isle shot a 1-under-par 71 in Sunday’s second round at Falmouth Country Club en route to a two-day score of 141 to claim the title.
Grindle edged Malcolm Oliver, who shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday and wound up one shot back at 142. Bangor’s Drew Powell, the 2014 Class A high school individual co-champion, placed third with a 149.
At the Downeast Metro Amateur, Greenleaf played a steady and consistent round on the Bangor Muni layout. He racked up 14 pars with two birdies and a pair of bogeys to erase a two-stroke deficit going into Sunday’s play.
“I’ve been playing well early this year and I was looking forward to using this is a kick-start for the (Maine) Amateur, the first big event that we get to play in,” Greenleaf said. “I’m thrilled to win it.”
Hayes was the leader after shooting a 70 on Saturday at Kebo, but could not find a consistent groove in his debut at Bangor. He was still in position to win after a birdie on 15, but pulled his tee shot into the bushes on No. 17 and wound up taking a double-bogey 6.
He birdied 18, but could not get even with Greenleaf.
Wyman, coming off a 74 at Kebo, was among only four players to shoot under par Sunday at Bangor. He birdied three of the last six holes, but also had two bogeys in that stretch.
Veteran Maine amateur standout Jones piled up 13 pars in Sunday’s round but could scare up only two birdies, both on the back nine, to go with three bogeys.
“The struggle was on the green,” said Jones, the 2013 Bunyan and Maine Amateur champ. “Every putt I hit, I thought I hit it good, but it either died in front of the hole or didn’t break.”
O’Brien, who played in Sunday’s final group along with Jones and Hayes, also could not solve Bangor Muni in his first round there. He was 1 over at the turn, but double-bogeyed 14 after some trouble in the back bunker and bogeyed Nos. 12 and 16 to offset birdies on 11 and 17.
O’Brien and Greenleaf said the opportunity to play at Kebo Valley was a key motivator in entering the Downeast Metro Amateur after having previously played in the Bunyan.
“We just love Bar Harbor and Kebo’s probably the best course in the state,” O’Brien said.
In Division play, Mitch Orser shot 154 to edge Cash Wiseman by a shot to win the B Flight. Kevin McConnell (162) was a three-stroke victor over Carl Poirier in the C Flight, while John Rogers (168) took the D group. Carrie Langevin and Melissa Johnson tied for the Ladies title at 171.
Bangor Muni assistant pro Rob Jarvis, who along with Kebo pro Peiter DeVos co-directed the new tourney, viewed it as a huge success.
“We couldn’t have scripted it better for an opening event. The feedback from the players was fantastic. It was obvious that they wanted this,” Jarvis said of the tourney, which featured 117 players representing 57 different towns.
“We’ve missed having something like this … so I’m super excited that Peiter and the folks at Kebo wanted to team up and do this,” he added. “It’s great for the clubs. It’s great for the area.”
At Falmouth, Grindle secured his second straight Bunyan title with consecutive below-par rounds.
After carding a 2-under 70 on Saturday at Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, he went 1 under Sunday at Falmouth Country Club. Grindle birdied Nos. 4, 8 and 9 Sunday, which enabled him to overcome a pair of bogeys on the back nine and conquer a field of 152 golfers.
First-round leader Oliver, who posted a 69 at PVCC, wound up 1 over on Day 2. He actually was 4 under on the front after birdies on 3, 5, 6 and 9.
However, he bogeyed No. 10 and had double bogeys on Nos. 11 and 18.
Former Bangor High standout Powell shot a 3-over 75 Sunday and was eight strokes off the pace. Tobey Buteau and Robert Yurglich Jr. tied for fourth at 152.
Mark Metcalf (157) was a 10-stroke winner in the B Flight, Sean Kirby (172) claimed the C title, Matt Quinlan (181) took top honors in the D Flight and Tamlyn Frederick (191) was the women’s winner.
Senior division champions were: Flight A, Reid Birdsall (155); Flight B, Rusty Johnstone (171); and Flight C, Craig Kinney (182).