WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Jonathan Bartlett's first venture into pro golf in nearly a decade turned out to be quite memorable.

Bartlett's victory last month in the West Virginia Amateur earned an exemption into The Greenbrier Classic this week at The Greenbrier Resort.

The Ole Miss graduate played pro mini-tour events after graduation in 2000, eventually put the clubs away because of a problem with his back and finally regained amateur status in March. The State Am was his first stroke play event in seven years.

Bartlett posted a 2-under-par 68 in the second round of The Greenbrier Classic on Friday, following an even-par 70 in round one of the PGA Tour event, and survived the 36-hole cut to continue on the weekend. He was right on the cut line at 2-under after two rounds.

With a large, vocal gallery urging Bartlett on Friday, he recovered from a 2-over start on the front nine to shoot 4-under on the back nine. He had a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th after getting home in two with a 3-wood rip from 265 yards out on his second shot. He went after the pin on the par-3 18th and the shot wound up 10 feet from the pin. However, he missed the putt, but that failed to put a damper on the week to date.

"I felt some nerves, some pressure on that one," he said. "It's been a great week. I took advantage of everything from the First Tee (youth day activities), the pro-am and now this. Hopefully I've got two more days."

Bartlett moved to Lewisburg, W.Va., from Ocala, Fla., 3 1/2 years ago. He sells real estate at The Greenbrier Sporting Club. His boss is Greenbrier owner Jim Justice.

Bartlett said he knew there would be pressure playing against the top names in pro golf. He managed to handle it well. His playing partners were first-round co-leader Matt Every and Roger Tambellini.

"I mean it's a little different for me," he said. "Probably Matt and Roger said, 'this guy is freaking out.' I mean I was taking size and yardages twice. To me, winning the golf tournament is making the cut. These guys, they're here to win the tournament. If I make the cut, I feel like I've won the golf tournament.

"So I felt a lot of pressure the last few holes. I take a lot of confidence in my golf going forward even though I don't play a whole lot competitively. I hit a lot of good shots down the stretch. I wish I'd have putted a little better. Hopefully the afternoon -- I don't want to wish bad on other players, but obviously I'd like to see Jonathan Bartlett play on Saturday and Sunday you know."

Despite the good showing, Bartlett said another shot at the pros isn't in his future.

"It definitely gets the juices flowing, and I love being competitive, but I'm not good like these guys," he said. "I'm quite happy where I'm at. I love selling real estate at The Greenbrier and coming home for lunch to see my kids and going back to work and playing golf with the members, things of that nature. So I have no wild dreams. I could've finished 30th in the tournament and it wouldn't cross my mind."

Bartlett got on the radar in West Virginia golf when he finished second in the State Am qualifier at Lewisburg Elks (65-68). He was 6-under for 72 holes in the State Am (two rounds on Old White and two on the Greenbrier). He tied for third in the West Virginia Open two weeks ago at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane. His highest round in this run has been a 72 in round three in the State Open.

Two days on The Golf Channel is spreading the word.

"I had a ton of friends following me," he said. "People in the gallery were pulling for me. That's special. Everything has been fantastic. It's all I dreamed of.

"I'm proud of myself."

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