In his third year as a pro golfer Michael Sims finally has something to really shout about.

A one-shot victory on the Maverick Tour last Friday gave Bermuda?s top man on the links his first big pay day and his second tournament success overall.

Carding scores of 67-69-68-72 at Palm Aire Country Club?s par 71 lay-out in Pompano Beach, Florida, he edged out red-hot Justin Hicks for first place and happily pocketed $25,000.

?I was so happy. It feels great to accomplish everything you?ve been trying to do and everything you?re in search of at the start of the week,? declared Sims, the thrill still echoing in his voice as he spoke to yesterday.

?I?ve been working at this really hard for the past year-and-a-half and it felt great to have some success. It?s so nice to get something for all the time that?s been put in.

?I?ve been playing well for so long. I knew it was just a matter of time before I?d have a solid week like this. I?ve been having solid weeks but one round always held me back. This week my one bad round wasn?t horrible.?

The 25-year-old, who has had an indifferent start to his pro career with just one previous victory ? on the Atlantic Coast Golf Tour last year ? entered the final round of the 72-hole event ahead by three shots, a front-running position from which he had failed to capitalise in the past.

Memories of such misfortune were swimming around in his head on Friday morning but he was determined the script would end differently on this occasion.

?This was the fourth time this year I have been in the last group. The last few times (I was in that situation) I struggled putting-wise and that can start to play tricks on your mind.

?I thought about it a little but I knew if I could work my way through it in the first couple holes then I would be all right. By the fourth or fifth hole I had a really good putt and all the tension left me as far as how I had been feeling with the putter in previous tournaments when I got into that position.?

There were a few jitters, however, when he bogeyed the 13th and 14th holes but his nerves ? and his putting ? held firm and he triumphed over the more seasoned Hicks. The latter, who has tasted the PGA Tour already, had won twice and claimed a second place on the Maverick Tour this season prior to last week.

Keeping focus was the key and Sims was intent on not letting his guard down until the end because that, he noted, is ?when the stupid stuff happens?.

?You have to try and stay pretty aggressive and play the way you have been (playing) all week.?

Speaking to his former coach Steve Napoli back in Rhode Island all week helped his positive attitude.

?He said something that made me relax and it kept me aggressive on the last day. He said ?You?ve put a lot of time and work into this in the last year-and-a-half. This is what you work for and the position you want to be in. Go out there and do what you have to do?,? said the young pro, recounting those crucial pep talks.

The first 18 holes of the tournament on Tuesday were also a good omen for Sims who putted impressively for four-under 67 in the opening round.

?I actually started off pretty slow. I birdied the third hole but bogeyed my ninth. I made a really stupid bogey. That fired me up and I shot four under on the back nine.?

Assessing his performance overall, he noted that while it was not ?spectacular?, his game held together well.

?On a scale of one to ten for all four days, I probably hit the ball about 6 or 7 and then I had my flashes with the putter. I putted really hot with it at some stages. My chipping was good.

?I made some key putts and some good up and downs and hit some really good shots when I needed to,? he said, adding that the course reminded him of those in Bermuda.

Sims hopes this win spells a real resurgence in his confidence which had waned significantly after a bad patch last year.

?In terms of progress, it gives me a lot of confidence. I wish I could put into words just how much this means.

?I?m starting to regain the confidence I had two years ago. I definitely lost a lot of confidence last year and I?ve started to gain it back.

?I?m feeling more comfortable with what I?m doing with my swing. I?m more relaxed on the golf course and a lot happier with everything in general.?