BANGOR, Maine — Jesse Larson didn’t enjoy the best of starts on Friday in the second round of the 50th Greater Bangor Open.
The 31-year-old from Mendon, Vermont, bogeyed two of his first three holes on the Bangor Municipal Golf Course’s 18-hole layout. But what he did after that may well become the stuff of Greater Bangor Open lore.
Larson responded with birdies on his next seven holes, and on 10 of the next 11, conquering the sweltering conditions by tying the course record with a 9-under-par 60.
Larson matched the Bangor Municipal Golf Course mark established during the first round of the 2014 Greater Bangor Open by Mike Van Sickle, who eventually lost to David Chung in a playoff.
The performance staked Larson, a frequent Greater Bangor Open contender, to a four-stroke lead heading into Saturday’s final round. There is a $9,000 first-place check on the line.
“I putted well. I read the greens well and had good speed,” said Larson, whose score gave him a two-day total of 129.
“I had to stay patient after my start,” he added while working on the putting green after his round. “It’s not like you foresee putting for 59 on [No.] 18 after you make a couple bogeys.”
Charlie Winegardner of Annapolis, Maryland, shot a 6-under 63 on Friday to stay within four shots of Larson. Evan Harmeling of Andover, Massachusetts, also went 6 under and is alone in third place at 130.
Robb Royland of Old Orchard Beach shot 5 under and is among four players at 131. That contingent also includes Ryan McCormick of West Long Branch, New Jersey, Raoul Menard of Ange-Gardien, Quebec, and Matt Saglio of Clearwater, Florida.
Larson, Menard and Saglio shared the first-round lead at 64.
Pittston native Ryan Gay is nine shots off the pace in eighth place at 133, while Mark Stevens of Concord, New Hampshire, Ryan Lenahan of Grosse Point Shores, Michigan, and Daniel Augustus of Bermuda are tied for ninth at 134.
The Greater Bangor Open field was cut to the top 40 scores and ties after Friday’s play.
Max Ferrari of Framingham, Massachusetts, is setting the pace among amateurs after a 1-under 68 that leaves him 137, tied for 25th. Maine pro Mike Dugas (138) and his son, amateur Gavin Dugas (140), both of Pittsfield, also will be playing on Saturday.
Larson said course conditions were firm again on Friday, but that a southerly wind provided a different twist. He opened with birdie on No. 1, but he ran into some issues on the next two holes.
“I three-putted from like 45 feet [on No. 2]. I felt like I hit two pretty good putts,” Larson said of the slow-rolling green.
He missed long and left on the par-3 third and didn’t have a good lie.
“It was kind of a poor bogey, but it happens,” he said.
Larson didn’t dwell on his misfortune. He logged birdies on Nos. 4-10, including a key approach shot on the eighth that really boosted his confidence after his tee shot left him behind a pine tree.
“I cut a 9-iron like 30 feet. I hit the exact shot I needed to hit: Over one limb, under another limb, landed short of the green, spun right to like 8 feet below the cup,” Larson said.
“I don’t want to do that one over,” he said with a grin.
His unprecedented string of seven consecutive birdies ended with a par on No. 11, but he rattled off three more in succession to reach 14 under for the tournament, then parred the final two holes.
“It was fun,” he offered.
Larson has been in contention several times at the Greater Bangor Open. He finished third in 2014, despite having been among those to eclipse the tournament three-day scoring record, then was the runner-up to Eric Steger in 2013. He was third in 2010 and fifth in the 2009 event.
Recently, he has unsuccessfully attempted to qualify for a handful of PGA and Web.com tournaments.
“I’d like to bottle up those 64s and 60s, take them on the road,” he quipped.
Larson, who has been a mainstay on the New England circuit for several years and owns wins in the New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New England and Providence opens, will need one more good round to add the Greater Bangor Open to his list.
“I’d like to win tomorrow,” Larson said.
“It’s all about putting. You’ve got to make putts. I made them today. I made some [Thursday]. Maybe tomorrow I’ll make a few more.”