By Brandon Tucker
September 19, 2011 5:26 PM ET
LA QUINTA, Calif -- With the largest turnout yet for this year's Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships, it was a bit surprising not one of the 444 competitors in the Senior event this week aced on day one.
That changed today. Playing in the Championship flight on the Stadium Course at PGA West, Jim Dalton showed why it's okay to play it safe on the 6th (pictured above).
"I was aiming toward the center of the green," admitted Dalton, hitting a 7-wood from 201 yards according to SkyCaddie to a right pin location steps from water. "When I swung and I looked up, the ball was headed towards the pin."
Dalton said no one in his group saw it go in. "Our eyes aren't that good anymore," he laughed. In fact, as they approached the green and only saw two balls, Dalton grabbed his wedges and headed towards the green. Soon enough, they found his found ball in the cup.
Dalton credits his two "good luck charms," his wife Arlene and her friend Carol visiting from England, who showed up on the 5th hole to support him. He birdied the 5th in their presence, and then aced the next. I caught up with him in the PGA West clubhouse and he was celebrating with a screwdriver, and was buying his table and the one next to him lunch.
Dalton finished with a 75 and finds himself in 10th place heading into the third day in the Championship flight. K.C. Fox, from Sarasota, Florida is 1-over heading into the third round and has a one shot lead over Larry Crogness from Sonora, California.
Shortly after Dalton, the second ace of the tournament was recorded, this time on the next door Nicklaus Course. John Tyczki from the Sr. Jones flight, aced the 133-yard 3rd hole with an 8-iron.
Hopefully, each of them entered their flight's skins competition to help fund tonight's bar tab.
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