Michael Sims fired an immaculate bogey-free, three-under-par 69 in the second round at the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School yesterday.

But with four rounds still remaining in the marathon tournament, he still faces an uphill climb in his bid to regain his Nationwide Tour card or a place on the PGA Tour.

Following a disappointing four-over-par 76 in the opening round at the PGA West Stadium Course at La Quinta, California on Wednesday, which left the 29-year-old Bermudian almost bottom of the pile in the 163-strong field, he enjoyed better fortunes at the equally tough PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course yesterday.

Without a single blemish on his card, he recorded birdies at the par-three third and par-five fourth, and another at the par-four 16th

It was sufficient to move him 18 spots up on the scoreboard, leaving him in a tie for 139th.

At one-over-par after 36 holes he remains 13 shots behind leader James Nitties who returned a sensational nine-under 63 at the same Nicklaus course to move from 36th to first at 12-under.

Four rounds still remain in the six-round, 108-hole event where even a single hole can determine a player's career.

Sims lost his Nationwide Tour status last year, and failed to regain it at Q-School.

But the Georgia-based player had been showing some of his best form up until Wednesday's round, having tied for first in the opening stage of Q-School in Texas and breezing through the second stage with a ninth-place finish in the same state.

Today he moves back to the TPC Stadium for the third round, hoping to make a big improvement on his visit to the same course on Wednesday.