Dave Pastore (pictured above) played in the final group to finish off Tuesday’s second round of the Connecticut Open. His final-hole heroics guaranteed a spot in today’s final round.

Pastore birdied his final hole to shoot 5-under 65 and take a one-shot lead into the final round at Rolling Hills Country Club. Pastore, a Greenwich resident, sits at 4-under 136.

“I had eight one-putts in a row there,” Pastore said. “It’s one (round) I won’t forget for awhile.”

There are 11 players within five strokes of the lead. Three of them trail by one: Adam Rainaud, Frank Bensel and Jason Caron. Two of them share of the course record (Rainaud and Bensel) and Bensel and Caron are former champions.

“Somebody will have a good round. I hope it ends up being me,” said Rainaud, who shot a 64 Tuesday to tie the record.

Pastore and Rainaud are in the final group at 10:30 a.m. today while Bensel and Caron are in the penultimate pairing at 10:21 a.m.

John Jackopsic and first-round leader Mike Ballo Jr. are two shots behind Pastore. Four strokes behind sits four-time champion Kyle Gallo at even-par 140.

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Connecticut Open
(at Rolling Hills CC)
Second round
Dave Pastore (Oak Hills Park GC), 71-65-136; Adam Rainaud (Black Hall Club), 73-64-137; Frank Bensel (Norwalk), 70-67-137; Jason Caron (Stamford), 69-68-137; John Jackopsic (Gillette Ridge GC), 73-65-138; Mike Ballo Jr. (Woodway CC), 68-70-138; Peter Ballo (Woodway CC), 71-68-139; Kyle Gallo (Tallwood CC), 71-69-140; Sam Bernstein (Course at Yale), 72-69-141; Jeff Evanier (EClub of New Haven), 71-70-141; ; Evan Grenus (TPC River Highlands), 71-70-141; Zach Zaback (TPC River Highlands), 70-71-141; Evan Beirne (New Haven CC), 75-67-142; Jason Clark (CC of Farmington), 72-70-142; Brian Gaffney (Darien), 69-73-142; John Flaherty (TPC River Highlands), 69-73-142

Other area scores
Nathan Pereira (New Haven CC), 73-73-146; William Street (New Haven CC), 74-72-146; Jerry Courville Jr. (Stratford), 75-71-146; Ryan Leahey (Orange), 76-70-146; Eric Dietrich (Cheshire), 73-76-149; Tim Buczak (Madison CC), 75-74-149; Tom Gleeton (Cheshire), 73-76-149; Pat Lynch (Laurel View CC), 76-73-149; Brian Carlson (Clinton CC), 75-75-150; Ben Conroy (Lyman Orchards GC), 77-73-150; Mike Martin (New Haven), 76-75-151; Zach Sommers (Oxford Greens GC), 82-69-151; Greg Palmer (Cheshire), 78-77-155; Jim Hanlon (Farms CC), 80-77-157; Jeff DelRosso (Cheshire), 79-79-158; Jim St. Pierre (Shelton), 81-78-159; Rasmey Kong (Course at Yale), 81-78-159; Dave Zeid (New Haven CC), 83; George Komoroski (Grassy Hill CC), 80-86-166; Camile Collier (Course at Yale), 84-83-167.