Mike Martin was back in a familiar position on Wednesday — in contention for a Connecticut Section tournament title.

Martin took the first-round lead at the Spring PGA Stroke Play tournament at The Farms Country Club on Tuesday, shooting a 2-under-par 70. It had been some time since the 49-year-old had put himself in position to win a Section PGA event.

Alas, the longtime New Haven resident fell short in the final round, shooting a 4-over-par 76 to finish in third place. Black Hall Club golfer Adam Rainaud won the tournament.

“If I was on my game like 10 or 12 years ago, I could have gave (Rainaud) a fighting chance. I hung in there,” Martin said.

Still, martin is attempting to regain his old playing form. Check out what he has been doing lately.

Adam Rainaud said he was never nervous during the final round of Wednesday’s Spring PGA Stroke Play Tournament - until standing over his final putt.

Rainaud was unsure exactly where he stood. He knew he was leading the golf tournament at The Farms Country Club, but thought his closest pursuers were his playing partners. He finally found out approaching the 18th green that Kevin Mahaffy was closer: just one shot behind.

So Rainaud, realizing he needed to two-putt from approximately 40 feet, left his approach 5 feet short. But he knocked in the par putt to win the tournament - and a berth in next month’s Travelers Championship.

“I love being a PGA pro, it’s an honor,” said Rainaud, 28, in his fourth year as an assistant pro at the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme. “I want to prove to guys from the PGA Tour that PGA professionals who work 60 hours a week can also play pretty well.”

Rainaud, a South Hadley, Massachusetts native, shot an even-par 72 to finish as the only player under par with a two-round total of 1-under 143. Mahaffy, the head pro at Pequabuck GC in Bristol, shot two even-par rounds to finish at 144.

Mike Martin, a New Haven resident and the first-round leader, shot a 4-over 76 and finished third. He has earned three previous exemptions to the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell to play in the Travelers.

After bogeying the 11th hole, Rainaud birdied 12 and 14 to take the lead for good. He parred the last four holes.

Spring Stroke Play
(at The Farms CC)
Adam Rainaud (Black Hall Club), 71-72-143; Kevin Mahaffy (Pequabuck GC), 72-72-144; Mike Martin (Tashua Knolls GC), 70-76-146; Brent Paladino (CSGA), 73-74-147; Fran Marrello (PGA Life member), 72-75-147; Adam D’Amario (Indian Hill CC), 71-76-147; Ian Marshall (Watertown GC), 76-73-149; Bob Kay (Tumble Brook CC), 149; Williams Street (New Haven CC), 72-77-149
Other area finishers
Paul Barnsley (Race Brook CC), 77-75-152; Jim Hanlon (The Farms CC), 79-79-158; Jeff Beale (The Farms CC), 85-82-167; Jim Ferguson (Wallingford CC), 84-85-169; Sean Busca (Clinton CC), 86-89-175.

Click here to view the full final results

Mike Martin of Tashua Knolls Golf Course in Trumbull shot a 2-under-par 70 and holds a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Spring PGA Stroke Play tournament Tuesday being held at The Farms Country Club in Wallingford.

Martin, leads both Adam Rainaud (Black Hall Club) and Adam D’Amario (Indian Hill CC) by one shot after both golfers shot a 71. Up for grabs to the winner in Wednesday’s final round is an exemption into the Travelers Championship, being played June 19-22 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

Martin, Rainaud and D’Amario are all playing in the final group going off at 10:20 a.m.

There is a five-way tie for fourth place at even-par 72: William Street (New Haven CC), Joe Mongillo (Dick’s Sporting Goods), Fran Marrello (PGA Life Member), Kevin Mahaffy (Pequabuck GC) and Dave Dell (Springfield CC).

Clark Robinson of South Windsor fired a 5-under-par 66 Monday to earn medalist laurels for the U.S. Open local qualifier held Monday at Country Club of Farmington.

Robinson, an amateur, is one of five golfers moving on to the 36-hole U.S. Open Sectional qualifying being held at various sites on June 2.

Three golfers finished at 2-under 69: Chris Wiatr, an amateur out of Woodbury, John Vanderlaan, an amateur out of Southbury and a high school senior at Pomperaug High; and Jeff Curl, the defending and two-time Connecticut Open champion out of Ellington. Curl is currently 70th on the Web.Com Tour money list.

Corey Harris of Washington grabbed the last spot in the qualifier after posting a 1-under 70. Among the golfers missing out by 1 shot at 70 included four-time Connecticut Open champion Kyle Gallo and amateur Blake Morris of Waterbury. Both are alternates.

The U.S. Open will be held June 12-15 at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina.