Meet Michael Sim, a man who loves fast cars,
barbecues - and winning golf tournaments!
By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
He's one of the hottest players in golf. Period.
Three wins this year. A play-off loss, a third and three other top-10s. A tie for 18th at the U.S. Open -- just two shots short of an invitation to Pebble Beach next June.
He's also a man who currently finds himself with a bit of unexpected time on his hands. Five weeks to be exact.
Meet Michael Sim, the latest addition to the US PGA Tour roster. The 24-year-old Aberdeen-born Aussie earned his way onto the tourlast weekend when he won the Christmas in October Classic on the Nationwide Tour. It was his third Nationwide win this year, and that meant an automatic promotion to the US PGA Tour.
By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
He's one of the hottest players in golf. Period.
Three wins this year. A play-off loss, a third and three other top-10s. A tie for 18th at the U.S. Open -- just two shots short of an invitation to Pebble Beach next June.
He's also a man who currently finds himself with a bit of unexpected time on his hands. Five weeks to be exact.
Meet Michael Sim, the latest addition to the US PGA Tour roster. The 24-year-old Aberdeen-born Aussie earned his way onto the tourlast weekend when he won the Christmas in October Classic on the Nationwide Tour. It was his third Nationwide win this year, and that meant an automatic promotion to the US PGA Tour.
Unfortunately, the timing was a little rough on momentum. With the PGA Tour Play-offs for the FedExCup in full swing, Sim will have to wait until the Turning Stone Resort Championship in late September to make his official US Tour debut in 2009 (He has already played a season on the US Tour three years ago).
"It is disappointing I can't play right now,'' he said, "because I feel like my game is in a good spot.''
But a mini-holiday isn't a bad thing, either.
After a brief stop in Scottsdale following his Sunday win, Sim jumped in his car and headed to California for a little R&R. He even hit the beach in Del Mar and gave surfing a bit of a go Tuesday.
"It didn't go very well,'' he laughed. "I had another go (Wednesday) morning, and I got kind of frustrated with it . So, I bought a body board ... I wouldn't say I'm a surfer.''
He'll leave that to fellow Aussie Adam Scott, one of the players he looked up to when he was growing up Down Under. Others? Greg Norman, of course, and Scottsdale resident Geoff Ogilvy, who has become a friend, mentor and practice-round buddy.
"I feel like he's a good guy to talk to,'' Sim said. "You can ask him any question you want to about the Tour and how he developed himself. He's always willing to help.''
Sim isn't shy about asking for help, period. He credits his team -- swing coach David Milne, trainer Ramsay McMaster and brain coach Angela Pampling -- for his success this season.
"I've played well in just about every start I've had this year,'' he said. "I'm not sure what the reason is for that. Obviously, my preparation and the people around me are top level.''
Milne and McMaster have been with him since he came to the States as a rising star, and Pampling, who is married to Tour player Rod, joined the team in December.
"That's definitely helped me this year,'' he said. "I've had three wins working with her. It's nice to talk to somebody in America about the mental side of the game."
Pampling has worked with him on breathing and thought techniques, and it paid off coming down the stretch last Sunday when he beat Josh Teater. It was a big change from the Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha in July when Sim had a chance to win No. 3, but nothing really felt right.
"I never got focused,'' he said. "I never got into the final round and saw the shots.''
Sunday, he did. In fact, he said he had a "great tussle with Josh.''
The win vaulted him to 57th in the world rankings and had some people wondering if he was thinking at all about a chance to be one of Norman's picks for the Presidents Cup. A reach, considering Norman has seven other more experienced players to chose from ahead of Sim in the rankings.
Sim admitted the thought was intriguing, but no one had contacted him. And he's never even met Norman.
"I think it would be a big step to play on that team,'' he said. "I obviously haven't been playing the PGA Tour this year, so I haven't been playing against the best players in the world every event, where obviously the Nationwide Tour is a developmental tour. But winning is winning, and doing that and my form this year has been good, and I've played a couple of majors, and I got to play with Tiger (Woods).
"It's been a great year, but it's up to Greg and what he wants to do with the Presidents Cup. It would be great to play. I feel like I haven't been playing the right tour to get selected on that team. If it happens great but if not, it's not going to affect me too much.''
Sim plans to visit Australia for a visit with McMaster, then he'll come back for the Fall Series. After that, he'll head back Down Under to play in the Australian Masters and several other events. He plans to kick off his 2010 season in Hawaii.
It will be Sim's second try at the US Tour. He earned his card for the 2007 season but was slowed by a stress fracture in his spine, which was diagnosed in December 2006. In 2008, he split time between the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour.
The fracture healed, but Sim now spends at least an hour a day stretching in the fitness trailer to keep his back in shape.
The No. 1 amateur in the world in 2005, Sim made news quickly when he came to the U.S. He lost a play-off in his first Nationwide Tour event -- the 2006 Jacobs Creek Open Championship, then won the PalmettoPride Classic later that season. Two tough seasons and three more Nationwide Tour wins later, Sim can't say enough about the Nationwide Tour.
"It's a great development tour,'' Sim said. "There are a lot of great players out there. Past PGA Tour winners, PGA Tour players, a lot of college players coming through
"... It feels like each week you're out there, the fields are really strong and on form. It's a great place to play. It's a tour where you have to win to get on the PGA Tour, pretty much. It's hard to go through that tour without winning. I think it's a great tour for your game and to see where you're at.''
For Sim, that means streaking up the ranking list. Even with his enforced five-week break. And there are more points up for grabs the rest of the year.
His goals? Another win would be nice. But the top thing on his mind? Cracking the top 50 in the world so he will be exempt for all of 2010's majors.
Sim was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, but moved to Australia with his family as a seven-year-old, having been introduced to golf by his father at the age of five, before he left Scotland.
"It is disappointing I can't play right now,'' he said, "because I feel like my game is in a good spot.''
But a mini-holiday isn't a bad thing, either.
After a brief stop in Scottsdale following his Sunday win, Sim jumped in his car and headed to California for a little R&R. He even hit the beach in Del Mar and gave surfing a bit of a go Tuesday.
"It didn't go very well,'' he laughed. "I had another go (Wednesday) morning, and I got kind of frustrated with it . So, I bought a body board ... I wouldn't say I'm a surfer.''
He'll leave that to fellow Aussie Adam Scott, one of the players he looked up to when he was growing up Down Under. Others? Greg Norman, of course, and Scottsdale resident Geoff Ogilvy, who has become a friend, mentor and practice-round buddy.
"I feel like he's a good guy to talk to,'' Sim said. "You can ask him any question you want to about the Tour and how he developed himself. He's always willing to help.''
Sim isn't shy about asking for help, period. He credits his team -- swing coach David Milne, trainer Ramsay McMaster and brain coach Angela Pampling -- for his success this season.
"I've played well in just about every start I've had this year,'' he said. "I'm not sure what the reason is for that. Obviously, my preparation and the people around me are top level.''
Milne and McMaster have been with him since he came to the States as a rising star, and Pampling, who is married to Tour player Rod, joined the team in December.
"That's definitely helped me this year,'' he said. "I've had three wins working with her. It's nice to talk to somebody in America about the mental side of the game."
Pampling has worked with him on breathing and thought techniques, and it paid off coming down the stretch last Sunday when he beat Josh Teater. It was a big change from the Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha in July when Sim had a chance to win No. 3, but nothing really felt right.
"I never got focused,'' he said. "I never got into the final round and saw the shots.''
Sunday, he did. In fact, he said he had a "great tussle with Josh.''
The win vaulted him to 57th in the world rankings and had some people wondering if he was thinking at all about a chance to be one of Norman's picks for the Presidents Cup. A reach, considering Norman has seven other more experienced players to chose from ahead of Sim in the rankings.
Sim admitted the thought was intriguing, but no one had contacted him. And he's never even met Norman.
"I think it would be a big step to play on that team,'' he said. "I obviously haven't been playing the PGA Tour this year, so I haven't been playing against the best players in the world every event, where obviously the Nationwide Tour is a developmental tour. But winning is winning, and doing that and my form this year has been good, and I've played a couple of majors, and I got to play with Tiger (Woods).
"It's been a great year, but it's up to Greg and what he wants to do with the Presidents Cup. It would be great to play. I feel like I haven't been playing the right tour to get selected on that team. If it happens great but if not, it's not going to affect me too much.''
Sim plans to visit Australia for a visit with McMaster, then he'll come back for the Fall Series. After that, he'll head back Down Under to play in the Australian Masters and several other events. He plans to kick off his 2010 season in Hawaii.
It will be Sim's second try at the US Tour. He earned his card for the 2007 season but was slowed by a stress fracture in his spine, which was diagnosed in December 2006. In 2008, he split time between the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour.
The fracture healed, but Sim now spends at least an hour a day stretching in the fitness trailer to keep his back in shape.
The No. 1 amateur in the world in 2005, Sim made news quickly when he came to the U.S. He lost a play-off in his first Nationwide Tour event -- the 2006 Jacobs Creek Open Championship, then won the PalmettoPride Classic later that season. Two tough seasons and three more Nationwide Tour wins later, Sim can't say enough about the Nationwide Tour.
"It's a great development tour,'' Sim said. "There are a lot of great players out there. Past PGA Tour winners, PGA Tour players, a lot of college players coming through
"... It feels like each week you're out there, the fields are really strong and on form. It's a great place to play. It's a tour where you have to win to get on the PGA Tour, pretty much. It's hard to go through that tour without winning. I think it's a great tour for your game and to see where you're at.''
For Sim, that means streaking up the ranking list. Even with his enforced five-week break. And there are more points up for grabs the rest of the year.
His goals? Another win would be nice. But the top thing on his mind? Cracking the top 50 in the world so he will be exempt for all of 2010's majors.
Sim was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, but moved to Australia with his family as a seven-year-old, having been introduced to golf by his father at the age of five, before he left Scotland.
Of course, he wasn't just a one-sport kid. In fact, he played basketball until he was 14. His idol? Michael Jordan.
And now, he's a car guy -- loves the fast ones -- and he barbeques every chance he gets. It doesn't hurt that he's got a great network of Aussies in Scottsdale -- Ogilvy, Matt Goggin, Nick Flanagan (who earned a three-win promotion to the tour back in 2007) and Steve Allen, among others -- to grill with.
And don't tempt him with American brownies. He might eat the entire pan.
But do look for him -- in five weeks -- to carry over his momentum in the Fall Series and into 2010. He'll be ready this time around.
"I'll be a lot more experienced,'' he said. "I've obviously played in two majors this year and made both cuts and finished top 25 at US Open, and I feel like I'm ready to fly on the PGA Tour.
And now, he's a car guy -- loves the fast ones -- and he barbeques every chance he gets. It doesn't hurt that he's got a great network of Aussies in Scottsdale -- Ogilvy, Matt Goggin, Nick Flanagan (who earned a three-win promotion to the tour back in 2007) and Steve Allen, among others -- to grill with.
And don't tempt him with American brownies. He might eat the entire pan.
But do look for him -- in five weeks -- to carry over his momentum in the Fall Series and into 2010. He'll be ready this time around.
"I'll be a lot more experienced,'' he said. "I've obviously played in two majors this year and made both cuts and finished top 25 at US Open, and I feel like I'm ready to fly on the PGA Tour.
Labels: US PGA TOUR, US PRO TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, August 27, 2009
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