Michael Sim on his way to an outward half of 30 (by courtesy of Getty Images).

Michael Sim takes lead with a 62 as he chases

2nd Nationwide Tour win this season

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE:

Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim, the Nationwide Tour's leading money winner, is not only threatening to run away with the BMW Charity Pro-Am, but at his current pace, he might run away from the entire Tour this year.

Sim carded a nine-under 62 at Thornblade, South Carolina in the third round and moved to the top of the leaderboard, a position he has quickly come to know in 2009. Sim's 20-under 195 total is three shots better than Argentina's Fabian Gomez (67) and Blake Adams (64).
Jeff Gove (70) is at 15-under 200 and is in fourth place, with B.J. Staten (65) holding down fifth place, six back of Sim.
The tournament features celebrities and amateurs teaming with Nationwide Tour pros in a best-ball format that rotates among three courses in two different states. The top-14 teams advance to Sunday's final round, along with the low 60 pros, who will split the $700,000 purse (first prize $126,000).
"It's really relaxing out there," said Sim, who equalled the Thornblade Club course record with eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey. "I enjoy this format and having fun with the amateurs. It almost doesn't feel like a tournament."
It all has come very easy to the 24-year-old who arrived in Perth, Western Australia with his parents from Aberdeen when he was seven years old. This season, Sim has had a six-stroke runaway win, a play-off loss, a third and a tie for fourth in six starts on the Nationwide Tour, America's No 2 men's pro circuit.

He has pocketed more than $240,000 thus far, more than $90,000 ahead of his closest pursuer and has more than likely assured himself a return trip to the US PGA Tour in 2010. Three tournament wins will give him an "instant promotion" to the Big League this year.
"It's exciting to play golf like this, to be in contention," he said. "My ball-striking this year has been sensational."
Saturday's third round was no exception, with Sim hitting 15 greens and canning putts from everywhere.
"The hole looked like a bucket today," said Sim, who needed only 25 putts and hasn't been slowed down too much by flu symptoms this week. "You get four or five rounds like that a year. You can pick any line, hit any stroke. It almost feels like you don't have to hit the ball that well. You just have to put it on the green."
Sim birdied four of his first five holes, but only one of the four was from beyond five feet. As he made the turn, the hole just got larger and larger. He rolled in a 14-foot birdie on his 10th hole, followed that with an 18-foot eagle on the next, a 25-footer for birdie and a 15-footer for birdie, and he still had four holes to go.
The part-time Scottsdale, Arizona resident finished things up with a 25-foot birdie putt on his closing hole.
"It was just one of those days that you get over the putter and I feel like I can't miss," he said. "It's a strange feeling. I didn't think there was any way I could miss that last putt."
Meantime, Gomez, Adams and the rest of the challengers will have to return to Thornblade for Sunday's final round in hopes of stopping the Aussie-Scot from stepping into the winner's circle for the second time in '09.
"I think it's an advantage for me to play here today," said Sim, battling headaches, sinus congestion and sneezing. "You get to play the same conditions two days in a row. It was nice to make that last putt because the good shots are still fresh in your mind."
Gomez was at 18-under par and the closest pursuer to Sim, but he had to wait out a 62min delay before being able to finish his round. The 30-year old from Chaco, Argentina had hit his tee shot on the final hole at Bright's Creek Country Club in Mill Spring, N.C., when rain halted play.
When play finally resumed, Gomez hit his second shot onto the green at the par-4 but wound up three-putting from 25 feet, thus giving Sim a three-shot lead over Gomez and Adams.
"I'm swinging the club really well right now," he said. "I'm approaching Sunday like any other day, just another round of golf. I have a lot of confidence built up from my solid play back home and I'm hoping it will carry over here to the U.S."
Adams made eight birdies in a bogey-free 64 at Bright's Creek, seven of them from inside 15 feet.
"I guess you could say that things came together out there today. I hit it really well," he said. "After not swinging well the first two days I felt really fortunate to have scored the way I did."

Here is Sim's scorecard today:

Birdie-Eagle-Par-Birdie-Birdie-Bogey-Par-Par-Birdie: Out in five-under-par 30.

Birdie-Par-Birdie-Birdie-Birdie-Par-Par-Par-Par: Back in four-under-par 32.

LEADERBOARD

Players from US unless stated

195 (20 under par) Michael Sim (Sco) 68 65 62.

198 Blake Adams 66 68 64, Fabian Gomez (Arg) 63 68 67.

200 Jeff Gove 65 65 70.

201 B J Staten 69 67 65.

202 Geoffrey Sisk 66 69 67, Daniel Summerhays 65 67 70.

MISSED THE CUT AT 208 or better

212 Keith Nolan (Ire) 74 65 73, Gary Christian (Eng) 69 73 70.

219 Richard Johnson (Wal) 69 73 77.

223 Michael Richardson (Eng) 77 75 71.

+Rain hit all three of the United States' main tours on Saturday. The Champions' Tour event, the Regions Charity Classic, has still to complete its second round and the Valero Texas Open on the US PGA Tour will have to complete its third round on Sunday morning before tackling the fourth round.