Michael Sims finished in a three-way tie for sixth at the Costa Rica Open yesterday ? but he would have been hoping for so much better.

After a blazing three-under 68 in the third round on Saturday that catapulted him into a tie for second place at four-under ? just a shot adrift of the then leader ? the Bermudian pro golfer would have fancied his chances of lifting his first title on the South American Tour.

However, it was not to be at the Valle del Sol Golf Club as a fourth-round score of one-over 72 yesterday left him at three-under 281 (72, 69, 68,72) for the tournament ? three shots behind the winning score.

By contrast Spain?s Carlos Quevedo, who was tied with Sims overnight, progressed up the leaderboard to match Italian Alessandro Tadini at six-under in the $110,000 event. At Press time they were on the third play-off hole to determine a winner.

Sims carded three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in the fourth round after making six birdies, a bogey and a double bogey on Saturday.

In an interview following the third round, the 25-year-old admitted having some challenges judging the wind.

?We had played about four holes and then the wind swung around. So for instance on the par-three fifth where I?d played a six-iron into the wind and would have probably played that club again, it became a wedge. It was hard getting distances right.

?I hit a six-iron into the 230 yard 15th and it went way, way further than I expected. Other than that, I had a regular day, made some putts, missed some, but nothing much went wrong.?