Bermuda's Michael Sims will try and bounce back today when he tees it up in Colombia in the fourth Nationwide Tour tournament of 2010.

Sims started the year off fairly well when he made the cut at the New Zealand Open although a poor final round in a strong breeze saw him slip to 47th place overall.

But then he failed to make the cut at the Moonah Classic staged in Fingal, Victoria, Australia.

And he suffered a nightmare last week when he failed to make the cut at the Panama Championships after he started the first round with a double-bogey, followed by a triple bogey.

He finished with an eight-over 78 and although he improved by 10 shots in the second round as he posted a two-under 68 it wasn't enough to keep him in the tournament.

Now he is in Colombia at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open which is the Nationwide Tour's first tournament in South America.

The Country Club of Bogota is hosting the event which features a 132-player field and a purse of $600,000.

Nationwide Tour alumni, current PGA TOUR star and Medellin, Colombia native Camilo Villegas was pivotal in bringing the event to his native country. He will play an active role in the tournament, and played in Tuesday's pro-am.

Villegas said he was excited that the Nationwide Tour had made a stop in his country.

"I wouldn't be the player I am today without the Nationwide Tour," said Villegas. "It means a great deal to me to see an event of this stature come to my country.

"I am delighted my fellow players will experience a country and a culture full of hospitality and wonderful people. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to Colombian youth being exposed to the PGA Tour's next stars in person and planting the seeds for them to dream of a career in golf."

Popular NASCAR star and Bogota, Colombia native Juan Pablo Montoya is also affiliated with the tournament as he played host of the Celebrity Pro-Am on Tuesday. Montoya, an avid golfer and friend of Villegas, serves on the board of The First Tee of South Florida.

Sims will tee off in the early afternoon today with playing partners Angel Miguel Carballo and William McGirt.

The altitude may play a part in the tournament as Bogota is nestled high in the Andes Mountains at 8,648 feet above sea level.

The Country Club of Bogota was founded in 1917 and was the country's first golf course. It has more than 1,500 members.

World Golf Hall of Fame members Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Lanny Wadkins, Tony Jacklin, Carol Mann and Donna Caponi have all been to the club over the years and it has hosted 10n Colombian Opens.

Past champions at various venues include Arnold Palmer (1956), Roberto De Vicenzo (1961), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1963), Jerry Pate (1981) and Camilo and Manny Villegas (2001 amateur and 2008, respectively). Current Nationwide Tour member Daniel Barbetti of Argentina is the reigning champion.