MICHAEL SIM LYING JOINT 8th

IN US TOUR SCHOOL STAGE 2

ELIMINATOR AFTER 3 ROUNDS

Aberdeen-born Michael Sim, raised in Perth, Western Australia from the age of 7, is on course to qualify for the US PGA Tour's Final Qualifying School over six rounds at Orange County National Country Club, Winter Garden in Florida from November 28 to Decembeer 3.

Sim, 23, who won close on $400,000 on his rookie season on the US PGA Tour, despite playing only 17 tournaments because of a lower spine injury, is lying joint eighth at Royal Dunes Golf Club, Maricopa with one round to play in the Stage 2 eliminator at the Arizona venue.

Michael, pictured right, had a bogey-free third round of 67 with birdies at the third, seventh, 13th, 14th and 17th for a 54-hole tally of 11-under-par 205. It was his second flawless round of the competition - he did not make a slip in his first-round 67. His only bogeys of the three rounds have come at the ninth and 10th on Day 2.

Kieran Saunton from Surrey is in joint 14th position on 207 after a 68.

The leader is Brett Guetz from Scottsdale, Arizona on 15-under-par 201.

Only the top 15 after 72 holes will go forward to the Final Q School.

Sim finished 162nd in the US money table for 2007 - only the 125 regained full playing rights for 2008. The Aberdonian Australian - he has a UK passport - has been granted a six-tournament medical exemption but over these six outings he has to boost his 2007 earnings past the man who finished in 125th place. That would mean averaging a $60,000 take home pay from each tournament, which is why Sim is back at Tour School, trying to nail down full playing rights on the 2008 US PGA Tour without having to try to use his medical exemption clause.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

AT ROYAL DUNES GOLF CLUB

Par 216 (3 x 72)

201 Brett Guetz (Scottsdale, Arizona) 66 70 65.

203 Todd Dempsey (Scottsdale, Arizona) 68 66 69, Tyler Aldridge (Indiana) 64 71 68, Brent Delahoussaye (South Carolina) 65 69 69, Chris Kirk (Georgia) 66 68 69.

Other scores:

205 Michael Sim (Aberdeen, Scotland) 67 71 67 (jt 8th).

207 Kieran Saunton (Purley, Surrey) 66 73 68 (jt 14th).