Michael Sims' hopes of a place on the PGA Tour or even second tier Nationwide Tour plummeted yesterday as he suffered his worst round of the week at the second stage of Qualifying School at the Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, Florida.

With just today's fourth and final round remaining in the 72-hole event, the 26 year-old Bermudian will need to go extremely low if he's to earn his spot among the field's top 19 plus ties ? the group who will advance to Q-School's potentially lucrative final stage later this month.

Having played himself back into contention with a magnificent four-under-par 68 in Thursday's second round, jumping more than 30 places up the field following his first round 75, the Belmont Hills pro saw all that good work undone yesterday as he returned a hugely disappointing four-over 76.

That left him in a tie for 36th in the field of 77, but more importantly five shots behind those players currently tied for 18th.

Even another round of 68 today would unlikely be enough for Sims to make cut, and it may take a 66 or 65 if he's to realise his dream of playing among the game's elite.

The defending Bermuda Open champion started yesterday as he had left off on Thursday, making birdie at the par-five fourth to go one under, but almost immediately the nightmare began.

Sims bogeyed holes six, eight and nine ? all par fours ? to make the turn at two-over, and it got progressively worse on the back nine as he also made bogeys at the par-four 12th, 14th and 15th before repairing some of the damage with only his second birdie of the day at the par-five 17th.

His round of 76 left him on three-over 219 after 54 holes.

Leading the way on 10-under-par 206 are the trio of Jeff Martin, Bo Weekley and Skip Kendall.

Three-time Bermuda Open champion P.H. Horgan is out of contention after rounds of 77, 72 and 76 left him in a tie for 62nd place on 225.