BEL AIR, MD (July 13) -- A last-hole birdie and bogey turned out to be the difference as first-round leader John O'Leary and Jim Estes, a pair of teaching professionals, finished in a tie for the lead after two rounds of the 90th Maryland Open, sponsored and conducted by the Maryland State Golf Association at Maryland Golf & Country Club in Bel Air.

Estes, from Olney Golf Park, playing in the morning, needed a birdie at the ninth, his 18th hole, to complete a par-72 round for a 36-hole total of 140. O'Leary, a back-nine starter in the afternoon, who had opened with a 67, bogeyed the ninth to finish at 73 and drop back into a tie for the lead.

On a day when five of the top six would post a higher second-round score (the sixth, Jeff Castle, a pro from Towson Golf & CC, had two 72's to tie Brad Miller, Baltimore Country Club amateur), Sean Bosdosh, a University of Maryland sophomore, followed the leaders with 68-73--142, a spot he shared with David Hutsell. The teaching pro from the Elkridge Club in Baltimore, ended 70-72--142.

With the original field of 117 being cut to the low 40 and ties, 47 players at 151 and better will play the final round July 13.

O'Leary, from Pleasant Valley Golf Club in Chantilly, Va., matched par of 36 on the back, then tripled the first hole. He recovered with birdies at the second, fourth, and sixth, to get back to even for the round before his slip-up at the ninth. Estes, the Middle Atlantic PGA match-play champion the past two years, had three birdies, three bogeys in his tour of the 7,032-yard Harford County course. Two of the birds were on par 5's, including his final hole.

Miller, a University of Richmond senior, saved his round with an eagle 3 at the 532-yard ninth, his last hole,. where he hit a 5-wood second to 15 feet. Josh Eure, from Crofton CC, eagled the 538-yard 10th when he hit 3-wood, 3-wood to a foot.

Two late afternoon finishers, William Fritz, a pro from Renditions GC, and amateur Matt Oshrine, from the Suburban Club, squeezed in at 151. Fritz used the day's low round, a 69 that included four birdies, to make it after starting with an 82. Oshrine, the youngest player in the field at 15, improved with 73 after an opening 78.

Of the four former champions who started, only Billy Wingerd (145) made the cut. Those not making it were Denny McCarthy (152), Matt Bassler (152) and Chip Sullivan (154).

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