Bermuda's top pro Michael Sims carded an even par 71 yesterday in the opening round of the second stage of the PGA Tour Q School at the TPC Craig Ranch layout in McKinney, Texas.

The top 21 players and ties qualify from the Craig Ranch section for the third and last stage of Q School in December where players can earn their Nationwide Tour card or even the lucrative PGA Tour card.

Sims had three birdies but also three bogies in his opening round which put him in a tie for 28th place. The second stage of Q School is over 72 holes with no cuts.

Sims, who started the day on the 10th hole, opened with a bogey five and then went two-over with another bogey five on the 16th before coming back with a birdie on the par three 17th hole. However he slipped again with a bogey on the par five 18th.

Things started looking badly for the Bermudian when he bogied the second par four hole but he steadied the ship with consecutive birdies on the par four third hole and the par three fourth hole as well as the par three seventh hole.

Sims is tied in 28th place with 18 other golfers while the leader, Luke List from the US, carded a superb seven under par 64.

Sims just missed out on retaining his Nationwide Tour card during the final regular event of the season last month when he had a disastrous final round at the Miccosukee Championships.

A five-over-par 76 was one of his worst rounds of the year and it left Sims in 61st place on the moneylist – just one place below the 60 who advanced to the Nationwide Tour Championships.