Michael Sims will face an almighty battle to make only his second Nationwide Tour cut today after firing another disappointing round of 76 on the opening day of the $600,000 South Georgia Classic.

Teeing off on the back nine in the mid-afternoon on the huge 7,781-yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, Sims remained at even par through the first seven holes before a double-bogey five on the par 17th pushed the Island’s number one golfer into black figures. Further bogeys at the par-five second, the par-four fifth and the par-three eighth — together with a birdie on the last — resulted in a first round score of four-over, which at press time last night left Sims tied for 133rd place and some 12 shots off the leader.

After the joy of claiming his Nationwide Tour card for the first time in five attempts in December, his rookie year has been a decidedly rocky one after making only one cut so far in five events played.

Earlier this week, the 2005 Bermuda Open champion admitted he was struggling with his game at present but said he was doing all that he could to bring about a change in fortune.

“These are the times when you just have to stick around and kind of hang in there,” he said.

“Obviously I’ve had a few disappointments and haven’t been hitting the ball well or putting that well either. So I guess you can say that everything has been kind of off for me . . . I’ve been pretty down with the way I have been playing.”