Michael Sims has gone from the top to the bottom and now he is readying himself to climb to the top again - the top of professional golf, that is.

Speaking yesterday as he entered a one-year sponsorship deal with XL Capital, Bermuda's Male Athlete of the Year was frank about the commitment and hard work required for him to become a familiar face on the PGA Tour.

"I've gone from being the fourth-ranked amateur in the United States and now I'm at the bottom of the list for the pros so that gives you some idea of the challenge ahead. Your amateur ranking really gives you no preparation I think for what's to come in the pro ranks," he said.

"It's tough. I just got off the phone with my agent (Thomas Parker of Octagon) and he's telling me about a month of driving places and playing in qualifiers. In PGA Tour events, there are generally four spots available. You can get anywhere from 100 to 250 guys trying to get those places.

"It's going to be a long haul. I don't have any status on any tour right now," he added, underlining how hard it will be to fulfil his dream of competing on the PGA Tour.

However, the 23-year-old is confident that it's a matter of when and not if he will reach his goal.

Addressing representatives of XL Capital who announced a sponsorship deal with the player, he assured that while "the road is long . . . I will get there".

"I look forward to representing XL and Bermuda to the best of my ability. Golf is my life right now. This is what I want to do. I want to get to my ultimate goal which is the PGA Tour and the only way to do that is to sacrifice a bit. I'm going to give up whatever I have to in order to make it out there," said Sims, a final-year student at the University of Rhode Island.

XL Capital's sponsorship will assist Sims in his build-up to tournaments and, as the corporation's Media Relations Manager Carol Parker Trott noted, is part of their continued commitment to "the development of Bermuda's youth in education, the arts and sports".

XL President Brian O'Hara termed Sims "the real deal" and "the first Bermudian who has a shot at the big time" in golf. He said he began monitoring the young player's progress when the latter broke the course record at Mid Ocean Golf Club last year and he felt Sims "was worthy of support".

"We're thrilled to be associated with Michael. We think he is going to have a terrific career. It's going to be a lot of hard work and we're there to support him. We think he can bring a lot of glory to Bermuda," said O'Hara.

Sims, who thanked XL Capital for its generosity, will wear clothing with the company's logo during tournaments. However, he can seek other corporate alliances.

"You try to get as many sponsors as you can. It costs money to do everything - from flights to the cost of the actual tournaments. You have to send in applications and fees to play and I need some money to do that.

"This is my first one (sponsorship deal) and I am pretty excited about that. They have a hat deal with me so I'll be wearing that proudly. I am confident in this relationship. I hope it's long and I'm really looking forward to it," said Sims, already sporting his sponsor's gear.