The real Michael Sims finally showed up on the Canadian Tour this weekend, proving he?s capable of competing at the higher level with a final day 65 to earn fourth place in the TELUS Edmonton Open.

The 27-year-old finally broke out of a funk that has seen him fail to make the cut in his opening six tournaments this season, shooting a 14-under 274 to leave him just two shots off the lead in Alberta last night.

?65? On a Sunday? That?s beautiful,? said Sims following what could prove to be a breakthrough win after a stuttering start to life on the Canadian Tour.

?It just felt so nice to play a good round of golf. It has been frustrating so far this year but this has been nice. I was hitting the ball well and I made a lot of key putts, momentum putts.

?These were fun rounds of golf and that?s a really nice feeling. I might not be sounding happy right now ? that?s probably because I am tired and feel disgusting and want a shower ? but I?m happy, trust me, I?m happy.

?This has been a while coming but it feels so nice to be playing well.?

Sims had the perfect start on the tour?s seventh stop, carding a six-under par 66 and then a 69 to finish nine-under par for the opening two days in the $150,000 event to go into the weekend in third place ? a far cry from the hefty scores that have kept him out of Saturday and Sunday competition all year.

He struggled a little in the third round, shooting a two-over par 74 ? still lower than his 74.18 stroke average on Tour ? to leave him going into yesterday?s final day tied for 15th place ? and that is when he really showed his mettle.

For the second time this week he eagled the 525-yard first at Glendale Golf and Country Club ? matching his total number of eagles for the entire year ? before going on to record another seven birdies and, despite two bogeys, he still finished with a seven-under 65, two shots off the course record and right in the mix at the top of the leaderboard.

He was fifth when he finished but by the time the 14 players behind him had completed their rounds in the sunny conditions, his four-round total of 274 ? scores of 66, 69, 74 and 65 ? was good enough for a tie for fourth and a cheque for somewhere between $4,500 and $7,000.

The tournament was won by Stephen Gangluff, who tied with Brendan Steele on 16-under par before claiming victory at the first play-off hole.

The top five finish was enough to propel Sims into the top 60 of the Tour Order of Merit ? a top 90 finish should secure him his card for the following year ? and the top six place also earned him Official World Ranking Points, his first, which should be sufficient to rank him in the top 900.

?I need to get in the top 90 to keep my card and hopefully this will be enough to do that,? he continued.

?It?s not something that was really worrying me, but as the tournaments go by, I guess, it is something at the back of your mind. I won?t be worrying about it for a while now.?

The tour now takes a week?s break before the $150,000 MTS Classic in Winnipeg on July 13.

Sims flew out late last night to his Boston base where he will remain for a week due to an absence of either Canadian Tour or Nationwide Tour events to try and qualify for next week.

?It?s a shame, in a way, that I can?t just go straight into another tournament but it?s probably not too bad a thing,? he added.

?I?ve had three weeks on the road now, so it won?t do me any harm to take a break.?