TOP 20 FINISH ON US PGA TOUR BY
ABERDONIAN MICHAEL SIM
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Months of waiting and worrying about whether he would ever be able to play golf again at the highest level ended with big smiles and a cheque for $76,860 on Sunday for Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim.
He finished a highly creditable joint 18th on his debut on the US PGA Tour in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Sim, 22, who has lived in Australia since his parents emigrated from Aberdeen to Perth, Western Australia in April 1991 when he was seven, had scores of 71, 69, 70 and 72 for six-under-par 282.
Underlining the standard of play on the tour, Michael was joint 11th at the start of the last round ... matched the par of 72 in that last round ... and dropped down to joint 18th!
He had birdies at the long seventh and long 11th but bogeys at the 10th and 15th. Michael parred the last four holes which would seem to indicate that he did not tire all that much, considering how long he has been away from tournament golf.
The tournament provided a first success for American Nick Watney with 69, 67, 68 and 69 for 15-under-par 273.
Michael had only one bogey through his first 36 holes and then two in round three and two in round 4. He had 11 birdies in all
It was only Sim's second competitive game for several months during which he has been resting his back since a stress fracture was diagnosed. At the same time, he has been following a programme of exercises to change his posture, one of the reasons for his problem.
Michael travelled to the States a fortnight ago and played in a Nationwide Tour event just to get back into the way of things again, missing the cut but finishing in good shape physically, which was the object of the exercise.
Now Michael's career is off and running on the world's No 1 pro golf tour. His first pay cheque of $76,860 was almost as much as another Scot, Martin Laird, received for winning on the Nationwide Tour, also on Sunday, which shows the financial gulf between the No 1 and No 2 pro tours in America.
Sim qualified to play on the US PGA Tour by finishing 19th on the Nationwide Tour Order of Merit last year. He won the Palmetto Pride Classic after a play-off and finished up with $220,432 in earnings.
Prior to turning professional, Sim was a ranked the world’s No 1 amateur.
He has dual nationality - British/Scottish and Australian.
His mother Sue said: “It took Michael a long time to get back his fitness and he was getting rather frustrated towards the end. I’m sure he will be very happy to be back with the big boys.”
Sue and Michael’s father George are travelling to America this week to watch Michael play in the Byron Nelson Classic before going on to visit New York and then cross the Atlantic to spend a short holiday "at home" in Aberdeen.
They will be in the city around May 7 if any friends and acquaintances from the “good old days” want to meet them.
“I hope Aberdeen is not too cold next month,” said Sue.
ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com
Months of waiting and worrying about whether he would ever be able to play golf again at the highest level ended with big smiles and a cheque for $76,860 on Sunday for Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim.
He finished a highly creditable joint 18th on his debut on the US PGA Tour in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Sim, 22, who has lived in Australia since his parents emigrated from Aberdeen to Perth, Western Australia in April 1991 when he was seven, had scores of 71, 69, 70 and 72 for six-under-par 282.
Underlining the standard of play on the tour, Michael was joint 11th at the start of the last round ... matched the par of 72 in that last round ... and dropped down to joint 18th!
He had birdies at the long seventh and long 11th but bogeys at the 10th and 15th. Michael parred the last four holes which would seem to indicate that he did not tire all that much, considering how long he has been away from tournament golf.
The tournament provided a first success for American Nick Watney with 69, 67, 68 and 69 for 15-under-par 273.
Michael had only one bogey through his first 36 holes and then two in round three and two in round 4. He had 11 birdies in all
It was only Sim's second competitive game for several months during which he has been resting his back since a stress fracture was diagnosed. At the same time, he has been following a programme of exercises to change his posture, one of the reasons for his problem.
Michael travelled to the States a fortnight ago and played in a Nationwide Tour event just to get back into the way of things again, missing the cut but finishing in good shape physically, which was the object of the exercise.
Now Michael's career is off and running on the world's No 1 pro golf tour. His first pay cheque of $76,860 was almost as much as another Scot, Martin Laird, received for winning on the Nationwide Tour, also on Sunday, which shows the financial gulf between the No 1 and No 2 pro tours in America.
Sim qualified to play on the US PGA Tour by finishing 19th on the Nationwide Tour Order of Merit last year. He won the Palmetto Pride Classic after a play-off and finished up with $220,432 in earnings.
Prior to turning professional, Sim was a ranked the world’s No 1 amateur.
He has dual nationality - British/Scottish and Australian.
His mother Sue said: “It took Michael a long time to get back his fitness and he was getting rather frustrated towards the end. I’m sure he will be very happy to be back with the big boys.”
Sue and Michael’s father George are travelling to America this week to watch Michael play in the Byron Nelson Classic before going on to visit New York and then cross the Atlantic to spend a short holiday "at home" in Aberdeen.
They will be in the city around May 7 if any friends and acquaintances from the “good old days” want to meet them.
“I hope Aberdeen is not too cold next month,” said Sue.
ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, April 22, 2007
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