FALMOUTH – Ryan Gay pumped his fist into the air after parring the 18th hole Thursday and defending his title with a one-stroke victory in the Maine Amateur Championship at Portland Country Club.

Gay entered the final hole tied with longtime friend and golfing buddy Jason Harris of Bath at 1 under and made par in front of a gallery of about 200. When Harris bogeyed the final hole, the 20-year-old Gay had his third Maine Amateur title.

“This one’s awesome,” said Gay, who’s from Pittston and attends the University of New Mexico. “You haven’t won a Maine Amateur until you’ve won at Portland.”

Gay launched his best shot of the tournament off the 18th tee, and his second shot landed beyond the hole and rolled back toward the pin.

His putt for birdie from about 15 feet rolled 3 feet past the hole.

“I told my caddy, ‘I have to make this putt because (Harris) is going to make his,’” said Gay.

That set the scene for Harris, who had stormed from behind and was trying to force a playoff.

His approach shot landed in the bunker to the right of the green and he blasted out to set up a par putt. He rolled it just along the lip and tapped in for bogey.

Gay sank his 3-footer to complete a 1-over-par 71, giving him a three-day total of 1-under 209. Gay then shook hands with Harris and Jason Gall, who also played in the final threesome and finished third at 212 after a final-round 71.

Harris shot the best round of the day, a 68, after rounds of 70 and 72 the first two days.

“The second round kind of killed me,” said Harris. “But I played pretty well to put myself into it.”

Harris sank a big putt for birdie on the 16th hole and was putting especially well.

“I was reading a few chapters from a putting book and just focused on the routine,” said Harris. “Then (on 18) I was fortunate the bunkers are pretty soft.”

Harris, who will turn 20 in a week, has known Gay since the two were 12 years old. They play golf together nearly every weekend and this Sunday will set off to play together in another tournament.

Following the final, the two posed together for photos.

Gay, who also won Maine Amateur championships in 2008 and 2010, said he is shooting for five titles before he plans to turn pro.

He will be a junior at the University of New Mexico this fall.

“(Harris) made a lot of great putts and put the pressure on me all day,” said Gay.

Gay’s tee shot on the 18th hole was one of his few drives that hit the middle of the fairway.

“It was a pretty good one. Long and straight,” said Gay. “I just slowed everything down on the tee.”

Before the back nine, Gall had the best shot of the day on the fifth hole when he hit off the tee into the trees, then sliced onto the fourth tee to recover.

Gay and Harris each had 1-under 34s on the front nine.

Gay bogeyed 14, 15 and 17 on the back nine and No. 3 on the front. He birdied the third, eighth and 16th.

Harris, meanwhile, birdied Nos. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 16 and bogeyed the ninth, 14th and 18th.

Gall was even on the front nine with a birdie on No. 3 and bogey on 9. He pulled to even par for the tournament with a birdie on 12, but bogeyed 13, 14 and 15.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at jmenendez@pressherald.com

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