A five-over par 77 brought a disappointing end to Michael Sims' New Zealand Open yesterday.

Sims began the day in a tie for 28th after shooting a one-under par 71 on Saturday, but his inconsistencies came back to haunt him as he dropped 19 spots to finish the tournament in a tie for 47th.

The Bermudian's day started badly at the Hills Golf Club in Queenstown with back-to-back bogeys at five and six, and a disastrous double-bogey seven left him four-over at the half-way point.

A second double-bogey at the par-four 12 made matters even worse, and although he briefly recovered with birdies at 14 and 17, he bogeyed the last to finish level-par for the tournament, 14 shots behind winner Robert Gates.

Gates became the 13th player to win on his Nationwide Tour debut, closing with a two-over 74 to finish on 14-under for the tournament, just enough for a one-stroke victory over Australia's Andrew Dodt.

Three strokes ahead entering the final round and six ahead on the front nine, Gates suffered a double bogey after hitting into the water on the par-three 16th to fall into a tie with Dodt at 14 under, but Dodt made a double bogey on the par-five 17th.

"It was tough conditions and the wind made it a great challenge," Gates said. "Andrew started to make putts when he needed to and it tightened up quick, but in the end I was happy how it ended up." The 24-year-old Gates earned $108,000.