Michael Sim meltdown completes rout of
Scots in Stage 2 of US Tour Q School

All the Scots in the US PGA Tour Qualifying School's four Stage 2 events were eliminated in the 72-hole tests.
Aberdeen-born Michael Sim, who had looked set to figure among the 21 qualifiers at Deerwood Golf Club, Kingswood, Texas, suffered a disastrous "meltdown" in the fourth and final round. After scores of 71, 68 and 71, Sim, who emigrated with his parents to Australia in the early 1990s, slumped to a 76 for 286 - two shots too many to earn a place in the Final Q School in December.
Sim had a double bogey 6 at the fourth and a double bogey 5 at the short 13th as well as single bogeys at the third, ninth and 10th. Birdies at the first, fifth and 15th could not cancel out the errors.
Welshman Richard Johnson was one of the qualifiers at the Texas venue with scores of 65, 69, 74 and 73 for 281.
In the Stage 2 event at Panama City Beach, Florida, Englishman David Skinns from Lincoln qualified in joint 14th place with a total of 279, one shot inside the limit for the 20 qualifiers.
But Edinburgh exile David Kirkpatrick, a resident of Lakeland, Florida for a good few years, finished on 286 with scores of 71, 76, 69 and 70.
Inverness-born Russell Knox, who lives at Jacksonville, Florida, could not carry over his successful form on the Hooters Tour. He score d76, 75, 74 and 74 for 299, finishing 71st in a field of 77.
+Michael Sim's father George clarifies his son's playing position for 2009: "It was disappointing for Michael and he will now play on the Nationwide Tour next year by virtue of finishing in the top 200 US PGA Tour players this year. He also has status because of his 2006 win on the Nationwide Tour."