Billy Pomeroy, middle, is pictured with his wife, Rachel Pomeroy, and their daughter, Nellie Rose Pomeroy.

Northwood Country Club golf pro Billy Pomeroy faced some faster-than-expected greens earlier this week at the PGA Professional Championship in Seaside, California.

After shooting a 79 in the first round on Father’s Day, Pomeroy came back to shoot a 73 Monday in the second round of the tournament. It wasn’t enough for him to make the cut, but the experience left Pomeroy both pleased with his second-day improvement and wanting another shot at the championship one day.

“I didn’t play very well the first day,” Pomeroy said. “I was a little nervous, and the greens were really fast. I had a couple of putts get away and roll past the hole, and from that point on I played conservatively and putted really poorly.”

After the crews watered the greens, they were a little slower the next day, and Pomeroy said he felt the difference not just in the greens, but also in how he settled in.

“I moved up 82 spots but missed the cut by three shots,” Pomeroy said. “My goal was to try to shoot 69 or 70, which would have made the cut, but the golf course was really hard. It’s hard to shoot a number that’s 2 to 4 under. I made five birdies, so I made enough birdies, I just have to minimize the bogeys next time.”

Pomeroy finished tied for 142nd out of 312 golfers, and he said competing in the tournament at the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses felt like a PGA Tour event.

“We had the manufacturers out there, and the golf course was roped off, and the Golf Channel was out there following our group,” Pomeroy said. “The environment was incredible. I wasn’t expecting all of that. The golf course was hard, but it was great. My goal was even par for four days, and I knew after playing it that it would be a challenge.”

Going into the tournament, Pomeroy said he hadn’t prepared that much since he was in high school, and the thrill of competing lived up to the hype.

“I felt my game was ready,” Pomeroy explained. “I chopped the ball well, I hit the ball well, and on day two I putted well, the speed just got the best of me. The greens were a lot faster than I was ready for.”

Though he didn’t make the cut, Pomeroy said the experience will help him in the future.

“We tell all of the juniors, the process you go through in preparing always makes you better,” Pomeroy said. “I’ve learned more about my golf game, and on top of that, I played well the second day, so I know my game is good enough to do it. I’m sure there were some nerves in there — I could hardly breathe on the first tee. I don’t know how I made part; that entire hole, you didn’t how how you were getting things done, you were just doing it.”

While Pomeroy said he hopes to qualify for the event again in the future, he was glad to be home and back to his regular routine after getting back to Meridian Thursday.

“It’s good to be back,” he said. “It’s like coming back home. It’s nice to get away, and it’s a great experience, but it’s always nice to be back home. I’m giving three lessons (Friday), and it’s good to be back doing what I do full-time.”