BANGOR, Maine — Alex Rainville shook off a double bogey on the ninth hole to fire a 7-under-par 62 Friday to assume sole possession of the lead in the 52nd Greater Bangor Open golf tournament at Bangor Municipal Golf Course.
Rainville, who shot a 67 in Thursday’s first round, holds a one-stroke lead over Michael Kartrude, who shot a 63 Friday and is at 130, and is two shots up on Jesse Larsen (131), who also carded a 63 in the second round.
First-round co-leader Damon Salo is three shots off the pace after a 2-under 67 Friday, while Peter French and Chris Waitr both enter Saturday’s final round at 133, four shots out of the lead.
Rainville, who hails from St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was five shots better than his opening round. Last spring he completed his collegiate career at Johnson & Wales College in Miami.
On Friday, he posted birdies on Nos. 1, 4, 7 and 8 before absorbing the double on the ninth. However, he got back in the groove on the back nine, birdieing Nos. 12, 13, 16, 17 and 18.
Kartrude, a fifth-year pro out of West Palm Beach, Florida, who last year played on the Mackenzie Tour in Canada, enjoyed a bogey-free round Friday. He birdied Nos. 5, 6, 7, 10, 13 and 16, and posted 12 pars on his way to a 63 that kept him on Rainville’s heels.
Larsen, the 2016 GBO champion, also shot a 6-under 63 Friday. The Vermonter was five strokes better than Thursday, putting up seven birdies and a single bogey to vault into contention.
Salo began Friday’s round by birdieing four holes in a five-hole span on the front nine, but then had two bogeys and settled for seven pars on the back to leave himself three shots back.
French was in position to challenge for the top spot Friday, but wound up bogeying Nos. 16 and 18. Waitr, who also is four strokes off the lead, carded six birdies and a bogey while shooting his 64.
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