Jesse Speirs of Bangor has had three holes-in-one in his relatively brief golf career. Two of them came on consecutive rounds in February. Playing in Eustis, Fla., Speirs, 24, aced the 15th hole at Black Bear Golf Club, then scored his second hole-in-one in as many days, this one coming on the third hole.

Speirs was playing with former Maine Open winner David Cummings, who hooked up with Speirs while on vacation.

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Jesse Speirs, who grew up in Maine, had a pair of holes-in-one in consecutive rounds during an event on the Hooters Tour in February. Speirs now lives in Oxford, Miss. Telegram File

Speirs is playing on the Hooters Tour this season and used the practice rounds with Cummings to prepare for the Hooters Members Only Shootout at Black Bear. Speirs missed the 36-hole cut in the 54-hole tournament.

In late March, Speirs had his best showing so far in a Hooters tournament, as he tied for 11th in a rain-shortened event in Gainesville, Ga. Speirs shot rounds of 73 and 68 for a 141 total and won $3,528.

“The last two rounds were rained out,” said Speirs. “Obviously, I was playing well and wanted to keep going. I was putting and chipping well and would have liked to play the last two rounds.”

While Speirs was disappointed the tournament didn’t go the entire 72 holes, he also knows there wouldn’t have been any guarantee that he would have continued to play well. He’s happy that he won the money he did, which enabled him to play in a few more events.

Speirs missed the cut in this week’s event at Fayetteville, Ga., shooting rounds of 71 and 74. He’s scheduled to play again this week in McCormick, S.C.

“You want to play every round like it’s your last because you never know when the weather could be a factor,” he said.

Speirs lives in Oxford, Miss., where he went to school at Ole Miss, graduating last spring with a major in religious studies and a minor in history. It works out well, because he can use the school’s golf facility and it’s within driving distances of the Hooters Tour tournaments.

Speirs’ first hole-in-one came when he was a freshman at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.

The common thread in all of them? Speirs didn’t see any of them go in.

In February, the hole-in-one on the first day came on a 135-yard hole.

“I hit a three-quarter 9-iron because it’s a shot I’ve been working on. I didn’t see it go in because it was dark.”

The next day, he aced the 195-yard, third hole with a 6-iron.

“The back of the green is on a shelf, which is where I thought the ball was. I couldn’t find it. Dave looked in the cup and couldn’t believe it. Two days in a row he found the ball in the cup,” said Speirs.

Speirs plans to play in as many events as his budget will allow. He has some financial backers but is always looking for more. For any young pro playing a mini-circuit, it’s a lot easier to focus on pars and birdies if you are fortunate to have a little cushion.

“I’m trying to raise money. It’s a four- to five-year plan for investors. It would be nice to have a little leeway,” he said.

Speirs has started a blog — jessespeirsgolf.wordpress.com — for family, friends and sponsors. People can keep track of his progress in tournaments and subscribers can post comments. His email is jessespeirs@gmail.com.

Speirs got started in golf at the age of 9 by caddying for his older brothers at Bangor Municipal.

“My dad wanted my older brothers to play golf because he thought it was a good game,” said Speirs.

“Basically, I would retrieve the clubs my brothers threw. When I started playing the next year, my dad told me that if he ever saw me throw a club he would take my clubs. My brothers got to throw clubs and I didn’t.”

With his brother, Seth, caddying for him, Speirs played in his first tournament, a nine-holer, when he was 11 and won it. He prepared for the tournament by chipping to cans in the family’s backyard.

“I shot 1-over and had the best score for all the age groups. I was hooked after that.”

Speirs took his first lesson from pro Mark Hall. One summer, he took lessons from Mike Baker, and at 15 he started working with Woodlands head instructor Paul Piveronas, with whom he continues to work.

At 14, Speirs made match play at the Maine Amateur. A year later, he led the Greater Bangor Open by a shot standing on the 18th tee. His closest pursuer birdied while he bogeyed. Speirs shot rounds of 62-69-70.

TEE TO GREEN: The 92nd Maine Amateur will be played July 12-14 at Portland Country Club. The deadline to enter is June 2. The Maine State Golf Association expects the largest number of golfers trying to qualify in tournament history for two key reasons: The course is a Donald Ross design, and the entry fee for the qualifying tournaments are $50, which is $40 lower than the last time the tournament was held at PCC. Those who are fortunate enough to make it through one of the three qualifying sites pay an additional $75 to meet the state amateur entry fee of $125. The Maine Amateur field will have 126 players. Nancy Storey, MSGA executive director, pointed out that the three qualifying sites — Poland Spring, Penobscot Valley and Biddeford-Saco — are also Ross courses.

• The MSGA club team championship is May 22 at Belgrade Lakes. The entry deadline is May 11. Applications will be accepted after that date if the field isn’t filled.

• Harris Golf is offering the Penobscot Pass — four rounds at Penobscot Valley C.C. in Orono for $99. The offer is good anytime through June 30, and then Monday and Thursday for the rest of the season. The limit is two per customer. The pass can be purchased at harrisgolfonline.com, by calling 442-8725 or 866-2423, or by going to the course.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

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