Oklahoma's Tetley gets lift from second career ace

Kyley Tetley had played golf for 22 years before making his first career hole-in-one last April. Just two months later he got his second, and the fact it came in the PGA Professional National Championship on Thursday made it all the more sweeter.

SUNRIVER, Ore. -- Kyley Tetley of Broken Arrow, Okla., waited 22 years to post a hole-in-one in his golf career, and found the magic twice this year, the most recent coming Thursday in his debut in the 40th PGA Professional National Championship at Crosswater Golf Club.

Tetley, in his third season as an assistant PGA Professional at The Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow, Okla., used a 7-iron to ace the 176-yard third hole. Tetley, 34, had scored his first ace with in April, playing a casual round at his home club. He finished his opening round with a 4-over-par 76, and will head to the nearby Meadows Golf Course Friday in the second round.

"Things were not going well until I hit that tee shot on the third hole," Tetley said. "It was tracking down all the way, and was right at it. I was hoping I had the right yardage and the right club. It landed and disappeared. It took one bounce and went in. It's nice and it feels pretty good.

"It was my first competitive hole-in-one. I've been playing golf 22 years and all of a sudden I get two (holes-in-one) this year. I struggled a bit after that (ace). It's just a tough course. The scores are obviously going to be a little higher here. The fairways are a little different to hit off of, and the greens are a little tougher to read. It's just a tougher test of golf."

Tetley was runner-up in the 2006 South Central PGA Assistant Professional Championship, and is one of 312 players in the National Championship representing 44 states.

The 40th PGA Professional National Championship is presented by Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra; Buick; and Club Car, and features total purse of $550,000.

The low 20 scorers following Sunday's final round at Crosswater Golf Club earn a berth in the 89th PGA Championship, Aug. 6-12, at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.

The PGA Professional National Championship is contested the first two rounds on Sunriver Resort's par-72, 7,563-yard Crosswater Golf Club, which was designed by Bob Cupp, and the par-71, 7,001-yard Meadows Golf Course, collaboration between Fred Federspiel and John Fought. The final 36 holes conducted at Crosswater Golf Club.

The PGA Professional National Championship and 41 Section PGA Professional Championships feature a total purse of more than $1.5 million. The PGA Tour is a Supporting Sponsor of PGA of America member championships and Golf Channel is the exclusive media partner of the PGA Professional National Championship.

The Golf Channel will televise all four rounds of the 40th PGA Professional National Championship, bringing 15 hours of live and taped coverage to a potential audience of more than 75 million in the United States and more than 100 million worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless viewers.

The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.