THE golf coach of the University of Rhode Island where Michael Sims starred was over the moon at his former student’s play at the PGA Qualifying School.Tom Drennan said of Sims getting his Nationwide Tour card: “We are all thrilled here. We are all elated at the university and as his former coach and his friend I think I can speak for the entire University of Rhode Island community to say how proud we are of him.”

Like many, Drennan kept a close eye on how Sims was doing over the six rounds of the third phase of Q School in California.

“We followed his six rounds shot by shot by computer. I thought that this is a wonderful, wonderful accomplishment by Michael.

“Someone once asked me how I would describe Michael’s career at the university and I would say that he was the most charismatic player we ever had. He has continued to be a source of pride to us and to the entire state of Rhode Island. He is always a native of Bermuda but he is a honorary Rhode Islander!”

Drennan said that Q School, which has three phases, is one of the toughest tests in sports. “It is a tribute to Michael and his maturity and development that he was able to take his experience of stages one and two and then get through stage three.”

And the coach was impressed when during one of the early rounds in stage three Sims came back from a quadruple eight to get a birdie on the next hole.

“Obviously in one of the earlier rounds to make an eight on a hole and to come back with a birdie is excellent. That is what we call a bounce back. You are seeing a different young man emerging — a professional golfer.”

The coach said he has watched his former student mature over the years since turning pro in January of 2002.

“He was out there by himself a lot and that is part of a maturation process. He has learned that he doesn’t have anyone else he can rely on except himself. However he did have his caddie Tom Giles for Q School and they are both very close and former teammates here at the university. Tom is a very calming and steady influence for Michael. It is nice to have someone that you not only get along with but also that you trust as well.”

And the Nationwide Tour will lead to even better things for Sims, said the coach.

“The great thing about the Nationwide Tour is that it will be the next step. It is progressions — from college to the mini tours and then to the Nationwide — each one getting harder and better. Michael has struggled with injuries from time to time and that makes this even more wonderful. I think the PGA Tour is only a matter of time.”

And Drennan said that the university’s relationship with Bermuda continues. “We have a young man on our team now, Jarryd Dillas, who Michael helped convince to come to Rhode Island. So we are hoping to keep that connection with Bermuda and Rhode Island. We also had Fraser Hunt between Michael and Jarryd. There is a kinship between the two areas. We couldn’t be more proud.”