Second chances don’t come along very often in life, especially at this level.

But Rob McClellan made it happen.

The Butler Country Club pro has returned to the field for the PGA Championship and will tee off against the best the golf world has to offer come Aug. 11 at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga.

McClellan tied for 15th in the PGA Professional National Championship last year, the top 20 placers in that event gaining berths in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisc.

Unfortunately, some ill-fated golf luck accompanied him on the trip.

Fog plagued the first two rounds of the 2010 PGA and McClellan wound up having to play the final 11 holes of his first round and his entire second round in one day.

He was allotted a 15-minute break between rounds. He took 15 minutes and 38 seconds and was handed a two-stroke penalty for teeing off 38 seconds late.

Thirty-eight seconds?

That whole thing still sounds ridiculous.

Regardless, McClellan — who was just 1-over-par through 14 holes of Round 1 — saw his game fall apart and he wound up 12-over-par after two rounds, failing to make the cut.

He harbored no hard feelings and said he would learn from that experience.

He learned pretty fast.

Now McClellan is coming back to the PGA after nearly winning the National Club Championship at Hershey Country Club this past week.

Nearly 300 golfers started the four-day tournament. After two rounds, one of them — Sean Dougherty — was at 12-under-par, snapping Sam Snead’s tournament record through two rounds that had stood for 36 years.

Despite such odds, McClellan forged into a tie for first place with three holes left in the final round.

He wound up settling for a tie for fifth, shooting a 7-under-par 278 for the 72 holes.

Because the top 20 placers in that tournament receive berths in the PGA Championship, McClellan has that second chance.

Guaranteed, he won’t be 38, 25, 10, 5 or even two seconds late for any of his rounds this time.

Honestly, McClellan fell victim to a rule that should have been amended given the circumstances of last year’s tournament.

Getting only 15 minutes between rounds — not even enough time to grab a sandwich, which is all McClellan tried to do — was a bit unfair.

Events of this magnitude should bring out the best in golfers, not throw somebody a mental curve ball over a matter of a few seconds.

Of course, that’s all history now.

McClellan has a goal of making the cut in this year’s tournament.

The way he’s playing, don’t bet against him.

Last year, McClellan enjoyed the experience of playing with the pros.

This year, he’s anxious to compete with them.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle