A bogey-bogey finish in the second round of the Nationwide Tour's Athens Regional Foundation Classic yesterday has done little to dent golf professional Michael Sims' storming start to the season.

The Bermudian ended the day in a tie for third at the $550,000 event after posting a second successive three-under par 69 at the par-72, 7,004-yard Jennings Mill Country Club course, regarded as one of the best and most demanding in the state of Georgia.

Until his stumbling finish, the 30-year-old had moved to eight-under-par overall, and was holding down second place alone just one shot off the lead held by American Patrick Sheehan who was in the clubhouse at nine-under after also carding 69.

But from eight-under, Sims quickly slipped to six-under, dropping shots at the par-three eighth and par-four ninth, having started his round on the back nine.

Sims' roller-coaster round included seven birdies as he continued the form which propelled him up the leaderboard in Thursday's opening round.

He birdied the 10th, 13th, 17th and 18th to make the turn at three-under after a single bogey at the 15th, gradually climbing up from his overnight standing when he was in nine-way tie for fifth.

His second nine, however, proved more troublesome as he birdied the second, bogeyed the third, birdied the seventh before suffering another two bogeys at his final. two holes.

Sims, having made the cut on the three occasions he has competed on the Tour this year, is now in position to challenge for the $99,000 first prize in what could be the most crucial weekend of his pro career.

The course, built in the style of a Scottish-type links lay-out with deep pot bunkers, has already claimed several big scalps with former PGA Tour players failing to make the cut.

In his last outing on the Nationwide Tour two weeks' ago at the Stonebrae Classic at the TPC San Francisco Bay GC, Sims placed in a six-way tie for 32nd to pick up a cheque of more than $3,000.

A week earlier he had earned $13,200, finishing ninth at the Louisiana Open.

n Meanwhile, at the Athens Regional, Brendon Todd needed just two swings and two days to make Nationwide Tour history.

The former University of Georgia All-American golfer aced the same hole in consecutive rounds, the first time a player has accomplished the feat in the Tour's 20-year history.

"It's still hard to believe," Todd said. "It was a stroke of good luck, twice in a row. I guess it's like catching lightning in a bottle."

Todd used an eight-iron from 147 yards on the par-three 17th hole during yesterday's second round. "It landed about four feet short and left of the hole and rolled in the back of the cup," he said. "I guess I played the break perfectly."

A day earlier, he holed the same shot on Thursday using a seven-iron from 157 yards.

"That one landed about three feet short and rolled straight up the hill like a putt," he said.

Todd was five-under par after 36 holes, one behind Sims.