MANCHESTER — When he began his second round at the Charlie’s Maine Open, Matthew Campbell was tied for 23rd place. When he left the Augusta Country Club on Tuesday evening, Campbell was the tournament champion.
“I made a lot of good par saves from about 4 or 5 feet on four of the last five (holes), and I kept on grinding,” Campbell said.
Campbell shot a 7-under-par 63 on Tuesday, birdieing seven of his final 11 holes to finish at 9-under 131 for the tournament. It was the first professional win for the 26-year-old native of Rome, New York.
“I knew I had to make (birdies) coming in, though. I just tried to – cliche – but stay one shot at a time, and the putts started falling,” Campbell said.
Campbell finished one stroke ahead of David Hilgers, and two ahead of Brian Agee and Eric Beringer.
Tuesday’s round was interrupted by a 76-minute lightning delay. The final group of Hilgers, Agee and Beringer had just reached the fourth tee; Campbell was on the 12th.
When play resumed, Campbell picked up where he left off, with birdies on Nos. 12, 13, 15 and 18 to go with Nos. 8, 9 and 10. After teeing off at 11:30 a.m. – nearly two hours before the final group – Campbell now had to wait.
“I was scoreboard watching the whole time. I was pretty nervous,” Campbell said.
Campbell said he played aggressively, particularly on the back nine.
“I had my wedges pretty dialed in, and I had my wedges in my hand coming in. Took advantage, finally,” Campbell said.
The final group heard about Campbell’s round early on the back nine.
“I knew where I had to get to. That gets your swing a little hesitant sometimes,” Hilgers said.
Hilgers’ round started well, with three birdies in the first eight holes. Bogeys on Nos. 9, 10 and 11 set Hilgers back, but he rallied to birdie four of the final seven, including 17 and 18 to claim second place.
Agee began the day with a one-stroke lead, but putting trouble haunted him this round. When he lipped out a birdie putt on No. 6, Agee looked at the sky in frustration. After he missed a par putt on No. 11, he yelled at himself as he climbed into his cart.
“The putter was a bit ice cold. I wasn’t striking it the way I wanted to strike it early in the round. The rain delay was a pretty good thing – at least I thought it was at the time,” Agee said.
Both Agee and Hilgers had a chance to tie Campbell with an eagle on the par 5, 540-yard 18th hole. While Hilgers birdied the hole, Agee settled for par.
“Once we got on 12, I felt a little juice there. We all know once the putter warms up, the confidence gets going. I was pleased with the way I hit it coming in. I wasn’t pleased with the first 11 holes, but that’s golf,” Agee said.
“If you’re a professional, you can’t mail it in. You’ve got to claw back. I gave myself a chance on 18. I had to hole it from 130, but I had a shot.”
Sam Grindle of Deer Isle was the low amateur, coming in at par.
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