SANTA ANA PUEBLO — Someday, Mark Sheftic can only hope his child listens to him the way he listened to his dad.

An expectant father, Sheftic recently took some good advice from his dad, Ted, and with that insight, led the 42nd PGA Professional National Championship after two rounds on Monday.

"The most recent lesson I had was about two months ago with my dad," Sheftic said. "He made just a little change in my swing and it made all the difference."

The advice came from a reliable source. Not only is the elder Sheftic a pro and a teacher, he's been honored as one of the Top 100 teachers in the country by Golf Magazine.

That adjustment helped the 34-year-old from Ambler, Pa., follow a 67 at Santa Ana Golf Club on Sunday with a 3-under 68 at Twin Warriors Golf Club on Monday. Par is 71 at both courses, with the field playing each course in the first two rounds. The rest of the tournament will be played at Twin Warriors.

Sheftic's 7-under 135 was one shot better than Kyle Flinton, who is at 6-under 136.

"I have been hitting the ball good, and am making good decisions so far," Sheftic said. "I'm driving the ball the best I've ever hit it. So, if you're hitting fairways and put yourself in good position, and you're building confidence.

"The key for me is keeping the nerves away. That's going to be the key for me, being in the lead for the first time in a big event like this and with a lot on the line. I'm just trying to stay within the momentum."

The tournament winner, along with the next 19 low scorers, gets a free pass to the PGA Championship later this year.

Playing from the 10th tee, Sheftic had a pitch to 10 feet for birdie on the 556-yard par-5 12th. Then he also birdied 15, a par-3, 224-yarder.

"I made about a 40-foot slider up the hill — right to left — on 15," Sheftic said. "I hit a bad tee shot on No. 3, which was my 12th hole and made bogey. I birdied the fifth hole and then hit a 5-iron on No. 8, which was a tough hole, to about three inches."

Sheftic also birdied the par-4 No. 7.

"I don't think any one thing sparked me today; just being here is a spark," Sheftic said. "I got my Class A membership in 2008, and had talked to other guys in the Section and they all said that this is a tournament that is run first-class all the way. So, just being here sort of gets you on a high."

Flinton carded his second-round 69 at Santa Ana Golf Club, recording four birdies and two bogeys — the latter on his first two holes.

His wife, Tracy, helped get him back on his game.

"I got off to a rough start this morning," Flinton said. "Tracy kept saying 'calm down, settle down, it will happen,' " Flinton said. "Then I made a 60-foot bomb on No. 4 from the left side of the green to the back right and that kind of got me calmed down."

First-round leader and defending champion Scott Hebert struggled on the Twin Warriors course, shooting a 76 to fall to even. He shot a 66 at Santa Ana on Sunday.

Las Campanas pro Bob May failed to make the cut. May shot a 5-over 76 in Sunday's first round, and finished up with another 76 in Monday's round for a 10-over 152.

The cut was 2-over, and 87 players from the field of 312 made the cut.

Note: Grant Sturgeon recorded the first hole-in-one of the tournament Monday, and also shot a tournament-low round of 65.

Sturgeon, of Pittsburgh, used a 70-iron to ace the 179-yard No. 6 at Santa Ana.

"The wind was just into us quite a bit and I had to hit a 7-iron about as hard as I could," Sturgeon said. "I held it up against the wind, it looked good and landed just right of the hole and happened to go in."

Sturgeon shot a 79 in the first round and barely made the cut at plus-2.

It was Sturgeon's fourth career hole-in-one and third in competition.

42nd PGA Professional National Championship

When: Today, third round

Where: Twin Warriors Golf Club (Par 71)

Purse: $550,000; low 20 scores earn a berth to the PGA Championship

TV: Golf Channel, 1:30 p.m.

Leaders

1. Mark Sheftic (TW) 67-68 135 (-7)

2. Kyle Flinton (SA) 67-69 136 (-6)

3. Ryan Garrity (SA) 70-67 137 (-5)

T4. Chip Johnson (TW) 67-71 138 (-4)

T4. Kevin Roman (SA) 72-66 138 (-4)

T6. Greg Bisconti (SA) 71-68 139 (-3)

T6. Todd Lancaster (TW) 71-68 139 (-3)

*SA Santa Ana Golf Club

*TW Twin Warriors Golf Club