Michael

Sim

The Aussie has been sidelined since withdrawing from The Greenbrier Classic at the end of July due to a shoulder injury. He battled a sore shoulder (damaged tendon) in the first half of 2010 but recovered to finish 65th on the money list. Seemingly eons from that point in time, he’s currently 225th in earnings right now but it’s a safe assumption that he’ll get a Minor Medical Extension in 2012 unless he has a specatular Fall Series. Not unexpectedly, he needed 30 putts despite hitting just 13 greens at TPC Summerlin today.

Sim made the cut at 4-under 72-68=140 and was scheduled to go off the 10th tee at 10:20 a.m. ET today. In what has been a forgettable season, he’s dealt with a shoulder injury since July, not to mention his swing all year. The Aussie is almost assured of starting 2012 on a medical extension. In the meantime, his next appearance should be at the second stage of Q School on Nov. 16. Given his dominance on the Nationwide Tour just two years ago, it’s incredible to think that he’s fallen as far as he has in such a short period of time.

The Aussie circled today as his return date after calling it quits at the midpoint of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic on Oct. 22 due to the flu. Sim is probably going to receive a medical extension for 2012 for missing all of August and September this year but confirmation of that won’t be released for a few weeks. If he doesn’t get one, he won’t have any status on the PGA TOUR next season.

This is the Opening Day 2012 for the Nationwide Tour. Sim was dogged by the flu that forced him to withdraw the season finale on the PGA TOUR in October. He’s also battled a shoulder injury in the last couple of years. He has no status on the PGA TOUR but we wanted to tie off this loose end and send him on his way as he attempts to return to the big leagues.

It’s still hard to believe that he’s back on the developmental circuit, but injuries and poor play have driven him there. While he’s competed worldwide over the last couple of months, he hasn’t entered an official event since withdrawing at the midpoint of the 2011 PGA TOUR finale at Disney World. The Aussie is now 27 years of age and ranked 512th in the world.

“The plan is to play next week in Texas, but it’s kind of day-to-day,” Martin said. “We’ll make that decision here in the next couple of days. A lot of it will have to do with his preparation in Arizona.” Sim has been in his homeland for treatment for a damaged tendon on his right shoulder. He also received a cortisone shot for the injury. We’ll find out this Friday afternoon if Sim is officially committed to next week’s stop, which will be held for the first time at the Greg Norman-designed AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.

Sidelined since a last-place finish (by four strokes, no less) at the WGC-CA Championship due to a damaged tendon in his right shoulder, Sim came out predictably rusty today, hitting just seven greens in regulation. He managed just two birdies.

The Aussie was 2-under when darkness suspended play on Thursday, and he didn’t miss a beat in his return this morning. Although he hit just 11 GIR, he tidied up nicely, requiring just 26 putts, including a nifty conversion for par from 20'3" at the 5th hole. He’s one of the five clubhouse co-leaders.

After a sparkling bogey-free opening 66, the Aussie gave it all back at the driveable par-4 11th hole, his second of his second round. He rinsed a pair of tee balls and carded an eight. He found the water again off the tee at the par-3 17th and incurred a double bogey there. Overall, he hit just nine GIR, but those two crooked numbers bumped him well off the leaderboard. At 2-under 138, he’s eight strokes off the clubhouse lead. The good news is that he’s made his first cut in two months due to a shoulder injury.