John Hayes IV earned a share of the first round lead at the 105th Maine Amateur Championship by playing holes 16, 17 and 18 in three-under par on Tuesday at his home course, the Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth.
He duplicated that in a slightly different manner on Wednesday, and that will send him into Thursday’s third and final round with a two-shot lead over recent Freeport High School graduate Eli Spaulding.
Hayes shot the day’s lowest round, a four-under par 67, to go with Tuesday’s three-under 68 for a two-day score of seven-under 135.
Spaulding, who plays out of the Brunswick Golf Club, is at five-under par 137 after his 69 to accompany his opening-round 68.
They were the only two golfers who were under par after 36 holes.
Ron Kelton Jr. from Purpoodock and Michael Arsenault from the Val Halla Golf Course in Cumberland Center were tied for third at even-par 142.
Kelton followed a first-day 70 with a 72 while Arsenault shot a 69 on Wednesday after registering a 73 on Tuesday.
Peter Malia from the Nonesuch River Golf Club in Scarborough and Benjamin Bell from the Sanford Country Club were tied for fifth at three-over par 145.
Malia has shot 73-72 while Bell has gone 72-73.
At four-over par 146 were Jeff Willett (74-72) and Kevin Byrne (74-72) from the Waterville Country Club and three-time Maine Amateur winner Ricky Jones (72-74) from the Samoset Resort course in Rockport.
There were seven golfers at five-over par 147.
Fifty of the 132 golfers made the cut and will tee off on Thursday.
Golfers had to shoot an 11-over-par 153 or better to move on to the final round.
As was the case on Tuesday, Hayes had an up-and down round.
He had consecutive birdies on 7, 8 and 9 and bogeys on 11, 12 and 13.
He also had birdies on 1 and 17 and an eagle on 16. On Tuesday, he posted an eagle on 17 after notching a birdie on 16.
He had a bogey on hole number 3 on Wednesday.
Spaulding, who won three Class B state individual titles at Freeport High, parred the first 12 holes before picking up birdies on 13, 14 and 16 and his only bogey of the day on 17.
Hayes will be seeking his third significant win of the campaign.
He has already won the Maine Mid-Amateur for Maine golfers 25 years of age and older which was held at the Webhannet Golf Club in Kennebunk and the Downeast Metro which was played at the Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor and the Bangor Municipal Golf Course.
Hayes won the Maine Amateur in 2015.
