Michael Sims' see-saw relationship with Buy.Com Tour qualifiers continued on Monday when he narrowly missed securing a place in this week's tournament.

The 23-year-old, who sneaked into Bermuda for a brief vacation over Cup Match last week, was among five golfers in a play-off for three spots in a qualifier for the LaSalle Bank Open which starts in Glenview, Illinois, USA, tomorrow.

In the play-off, the Bermudian missed a vital eight-foot putt for par that doomed his quest and stretched his Buy.Com play-off record to a miserable one out of five.

"I hit the ball right where I wanted to, right over my mark and it just broke the other way. I misread it," explained Sims, speaking to The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Earlier, he had shot a two-under-par 70 at The Oaks Club at Genoa golf course and was "surprised" that he managed to get into a play-off with that score.

"I didn't think I would be in a play-off. I didn't think 70 would hold up at all."

Despite not making his sixth Buy.Com appearance, the pro rookie had some things to smile about as he flew back to Rhode Island yesterday.

"I was pleased with how I played given how I felt and considering I had just taken a week off. My swing felt good and I was doing a lot of good things but physically I just wasn't there.

"I was actually very sick yesterday (Monday). It started coming on from Sunday and I was in bed by about 5 p.m. on Sunday. I managed to play three holes and then I just drove around the course because I was feeling so horrible.

"Playing yesterday was tough because of how bad I was feeling, light-headed, runny nose, congested, you know, the whole deal."

Sims is now in a race to recover in time for a New England tournament starting tomorrow in York, Maine.