KENNEBUNK — This was the Caleb Manuel we’re used to. This was the Manuel who qualified for the U.S. Open, who has twice played in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Live and Work in Maine Open. This was the Manuel who helped lead the University of Connecticut to the Big East title, and who will test himself as a member of SEC powerhouse Georgia’s golf team next year.

This was the Caleb Manuel who won the Maine Amateur Championship last year.

Manuel dominated the second day of the Maine Amateur at Webhannet Golf Club, shooting an 8-under 63. By his lofty standards, the Topsham native struggled in Tuesday’s opening round, shooting a 1-over 72. Manuel began the day four shots behind Mike Arsenault Jr. After laying waste to the course Wednesday, Manuel leads Arsenault by two strokes.

Manuel had eight birdies – four on the front and four on the back – and no bogeys in his round.

“There was a little bit more pep in my step today. As soon as I got off hitting my first tee ball, I felt so much more comfortable,” said Manuel, who plays out of Brunswick Golf Club. “Yesterday was just kind of, I felt like I was surviving. Today was like, how low can I go? I’ll have the same mindset (Thursday) and a little more of a smile on my face.”

Manuel will be joined in Thursday’s final group by Arsenault, of Val Halla Golf Course, and the Purpoodock Club’s Ron Kelton, who shot a 71 and is 1 under for the tournament – six shots behind Manuel. Manuel, Arsenault and Kelton are the only players under par.

Manuel opened his second round on the back nine. After three consecutive pars, he sank back-to-back birdie putts on 13 and 14, then added birdies on 16 and 18.

After four straight pars on the front nine, Manuel ran off four consecutive birdies.

“I think once I drove the green on 16, I knew it was something special,” Manuel said. “(Holes 1-4 are) not easy holes, but it felt like I was losing shots. I wanted to keep my foot on the gas.”

After Tuesday’s round, which included five bogeys overall and three his final four holes, Manuel went to see his coach, Paul Piveronas at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth. Thunderstorms forced Manuel and his coach inside, where Manuel hit balls and tweaked his swing.

“(Piveronas) hasn’t said anything to me about it, but I’ve always had my club face a little open at impact. If it’s open at impact, it’s probably going to be open when you get down in there, so I closed it a little bit. In my rehearsal there, I was getting more around me instead of straight up. Those two things, that’s what I was thinking about all day,” Manuel said.

As Manuel was beginning his round at noon, Arsenault was completing his. Arsenault shot a 2-under 69 after a 68 on Tuesday.

“I hit it a lot better than yesterday, I just didn’t make many putts. Down the stretch, I made a couple birdies that I needed to, but I played better today,” Arsenault said.

A 35-foot birdie putt on 15 was the exception to Arsenault’s struggles on the green.

“I was kind of just going for a lag putt on that. I was just trusting the pace and the line. It was the first (long) putt I made all day,” Arsenault said.

After shooting a 5-over 76 Tuesday, Anthony Burnham of the Purpoodock Club climbed back to even par with a 5-under 66 – the second-lowest score of the second round. Like Manuel, Burnham had no bogeys on the day and birdied 5 through 8.

“Everything was working for me today,” Burnham said. “I wasn’t doing anything I don’t normally do. I know I had a rough day (Tuesday), but I got back into it. The course was a little softer today, because of the rain we got last night.”

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