Dwayne Pearman and Michael Sims? bid to qualify for golf?s prestigious World Cup fell agonisingly short at the Tierra de Sol Golf Club in Aruba yesterday.

After the final round of the Nations Cup tournament, from which only the top two countries advanced to the World Cup ? to be played in Barbados in December ? the two Bermudian pros had to settle for fifth.

Pearman and Sims had entered the last round, played under the foursomes (alternate shot) system, tied for second after a superb five-under par 66 in fourball on Saturday.

But they could manage only a 77 yesterday, leaving them on a 283 total ? seven shots behind winners Octavio Gonzalez and Esteban Toledo of Mexico who returned a final round 70 for a 276 total.

Finishing second and also qualifying for the World Cup were Jamaica?s Peter Horrobin and Delroy Cambridge, the latter a regular competitor in tournaments in Bermuda.

Horrobin and Cambridge fired a last round of 67, the best of the day, to finish on 278 and pip Venezuela?s Carlos Larrain and Miguel Martinez.

Pearman and Sims had opened with a 67 in fourball last Thursday but also struggled in fourball on Friday when they carded 73.

Twelve countries took part in the tournament.