Derek Kistler has been around the game of golf since he was a young kid.

The Palmerton native has also played in a few golf championships along the way.That's why it was no surprise to see him help caddie pro Greg Owen to a second place finish in the FedEx St. Jude championship in Memphis, Tennessee this past weekend, won by Fabian Gomez at 13-under, four strokesbetter than Owen who finished at 9-under.Owen, who is ranked 342ndin the world and has never won on TOUR, played a solid round all weekend, but Gomez just played better down the stretch on Sunday with four birdieson the back nine.Kistler started caddying for Owen two years ago when the latter was playing on the Web.comTour."I got to know him when I moveddown to Orlando and started practicing at Orange County National," said Kistler, while enjoying a rare day off from his job at Falcon's Fire Golf Club on Monday."After I tried to play on tour for a little while and funds became low, I started working there."I kind of met him while I was still trying to play a little bit but wasstarting to practice there because in lived in Orlando. I asked him if I could play with him some time and see if I can learn something from him and he said sure."He's a super nice guy. So we set up a date to go out and play. At the end of the round I thanked him and we both agreed that we had a real good time and we've been real good buddies ever since."We have very similar senses of humor, dry and sarcastic and it's something in common that we use on the golf course also."Whenever Owen would get back into town after being on a golf trip, he would text Kistler asking him if he wanted to play a round and the two started playing golf together all the time."I got to know his gameand swing a little bit and over a year and a half ago I was working at two different courses seven days a week, working nine shifts a week and I did that over a year."Greg said,"You're killingyourself, whydon't you come caddie for me? If you make a mistake I know it's going to be an honest mistake and it's not becauseyou're being lackadaisical."So Kistler agreed and the two have been working together ever since."We couldn't have asked for a better week," Kistler said about this past weekend's performance."From where he's been to start this year,he's been confident going in to a bunch of tournaments. It just seems that he had a bad break here and there and just hasn't made anything. He couldn't get any putts to fall, he' got discouraged a little bit and he was starting to be a little rough on himself."Up until last week he was starting to go the other way and then talked to his head coach. His attitudeon the course this week was unbelievable. His putting wasridiculous this week. In three rounds he made two bogies. On that course with those firm, fast greens, that was just ridiculous.Kistlerfelt that he wasn't as sharp during the last day, but after Saturday, we knew he had a good chance to win it and that's all they asked for."I told him after we finished on Sunday that as long as he stays patient and keeps the same attitude he did this week, he'll win sooner or later."Kistlerworks part-time at Falcon's Fire just for something to do and have a place to play.The 2000 Palmerton grad, who won Colonial League and District 11 Championships during his four year career,doesn't play competitively any more, but still enjoys casual rounds with some of his friends.Owen's next PGA event will be on June 25 when he competes in the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.