Bermuda golf pro Michael Sims will still get his chance on the Nationwide Tour next year despite failing to advance from the second qualifying round of PGA Q School over the weekend.

And before that he may also opt to play in Asia before the Tour starts in 2010.

Sims' father, Bruce, said yesterday his son was taking everything in stride and would return to Bermuda for Christmas and have some down time before gearing up for the 2010 season.

Playing the second stage of Q School last week at the TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, Sims dropped into a tie for 33rd after the last round with a one-over par 72 to finish the four rounds at one-under 283 which saw his hopes of going to the third and final stage of Q School in Florida dashed.

His father said: "I only spoke to him briefly after (the final round) and he told me what he shot. But he will have status (for the Nationwide Tour) next year. I believe he will get into nearly every event."

This past season Sims finished in an agonising 61st place on the Nationwide Tour – only one spot out of getting his full Nationwide card for 2010.

"He will probably take off until January and then get started again," added Bruce. "He may even go over to Asia for a few weeks. And if he doesn't go to Asia he was talking about playing in the Bermuda Open in January."

In 2005, Sims produced arguably the most commanding performance of his career up until that point when he blitzed the Open field to triumph with a superb score of 12-under par at Port Royal which has since been given a $14 million renovation.

Last month Sims endured one of his most disappointing rounds of 2009 during the final 18 holes at the Miccosukee Championships which was the final regular event on this season's Nationwide Tour.

A five-over-par 76 at the Miccosukee Golf and Country Club in Miami left Sims in 61st place on the moneylist – just one place below the 60 who advanced to the Nationwide Tour Championships where all of the players were granted automatic status for next year's Tour.

It was exceptionally tough for the Bermudian since he had led the tournament late in the third round before taking a double-bogey at the 17th, and then followed with another two doubles in the final mistake-riddled round.

Sims, who now makes his home on Sea Island, Georgia, had his best season as a pro this year.

He played in 24 Nationwide tournaments, made 13 cuts, had two top 10 finishes and six top 25 finishes and pocketed $96,927. His official World Golf Rating was 636.

He was also ranked number one in eagles on the Tour.