ABERDONIAN MICHAEL SIM

IS LYING 13th IN JOHN DEERE

CLASSIC ON US PGA TOUR

Aberdonian Michael Sim, a rookie on the US PGA Tour, is lying 13th with one round to go in the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, Silvis in Illinois.

Michael, whose debut on the Tour was delayed as he recovered from a stress fracture of the lower back - diagnosed round about last November, has had rounds of 69, 67 and 68 for nine-under-par 204 over the par-71 lay-out. But for a bogey 6 at the long 17th in his third round, Michael would have been right in there behind the leaders, Australian Nathan Green (198) and South African Tim Clark (199). Green has a red-hot putter in his bag. He has average 26 putts a round over three days.

Sim emigrated with his parents from Aberdeen when he was seven years old and was brought up in Perth, Western Australia where he became for a spell, just before he turned pro, the top-ranked amateur in the world, a year or two before fellow-Aberdonian Richie Ramsay achieved that distinction!

Michael holds dual nationality - British/Scottish and Australian - but proudly lists Aberdeen as his birthplace in the US PGA Tour player roster.

THIRD ROUND TOTALS

Players from U S unless stated.

Par 213 (3 x 71)
198 Nathan Green (Aus) 67 63 68.
199 Tim Clark (Rsa) 68 65 66.
200 Jonathan Byrd 67 68 65.
201 Kenny Perry 65 68 68, Brian Gay 72 63 66.
202 Neal Lancaster 64 68 70, Billy Mayfair 69 66 67, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 67 64 71
203 Jason Dufner 65 66 72, Jeff Gove 69 68 66, Kevin Sutherland 66 67 70, Troy Matteson 69 67 67.
204 Michael Sim (Sco) 69 67 68, Paul Stankowski 65 70 69, J.P. Hayes 70 65 69, Bob May 66 67 71, Mark Brooks 70 68 66.
205 Jeff Overton 70 66 69, Cameron Beckman 67 70 68, Lucas Glover 71 69 65, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 69 69 67, Briny Baird 67 70 68.
206 Chris Stroud 71 67 68, Duffy Waldorf 65 68 73, Dicky Pride 70 69 67, D. J. Trahan 67 68 71, Heath Slocum 70 69 67.
207 Chris Tidland 69 69 69, Craig Lile (Rsa) 67 71 69, Steve Allan (Aus) 71 66 70, Douglas Labelle 70 68 69, Tommy Armour III 69 70 68.
208 Tom Johnson 68 68 72, Kirk Triplett 67 72 69, Woody Austin 72 67 69, Greg Kraft 69 71 68, Gavin Coles (Aus) 72 68 68, Tim Petrovic 68 68 72, Scott Gutschewski 65 71 72, Bob Heintz 67 70 71, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 69 68 71.
209 Brendon De Jonge 67 68 74, Bernhard Langer (Ger) 72 68 69, Paul Gow (Aus) 69 68 72, Tim Herron 69 69 71, John Merrick 72 67 70, Marco Dawson 68 72 69, Ted Purdy 70 70 69, Chris Couch 68 69 72, Kevin Na (Kor) 68 69 72, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 71 68 70, Jay Williamson 70 70 69.
210 Charles Warren 68 71 71, Tom Byrum 69 70 71, George McNeill 71 69 70, John Huston 70 68 72, Harrison Frazar 69 68 73, Brandt Snedeker 69 68 73
211 Kent Jones 67 72 72, Chris Riley 72 67 72, Vance Veazey 69 69 73, Joe Ogilvie 71 68 72, Darron Stiles 70 70 71, Brady Schnell 70 68 73, Jose Coceres (Arg) 71 69 71, Bronson LaCassie (Aus) 71 66 74
212 Paul Goydos 67 71 74, Phil Tataurangi (Nzl) 68 71 73
213 Jerry Smith 70 69 74, Jim Rutledge (Can) 72 68 73
215 Grant Waite (Nzl) 71 69 75, Jason Gore 69 68 78

MARTIN LAIRD SEVEN OFF THE PACE ON NATIONWIDE TOUR

Martin Laird from Glasgow is in joint 32nd position after 54 holes of the Nationwide Tour event, the Children's Hospital Invitational.

The former Scottish youths champion and past Colorado State University student has scored 75, 71 and 70 for 216. He bogeyed the 14th and 15th in his Saturday round and got back only one of them with a birdie at the 16th.

Joint leaders, seven ahead of the Scot, are Americans Chris Nallen (67-72-70) and Daniel Summerhays (68-69-72).

Richard Johnson from Wales is in joint third place on 211 with scores of 70, 69 and 72.