Bermuda's top professional golfer went within a shot of qualifying for his first Nike Tour event earlier this month.

Dwayne Pearman, pro at Ocean View Golf Club, fired a one-under-par in the qualifying event for the Greensboro Open -- when two-under would have got him into the main tournament in North Carolina.

However, Pearman, who also went close to making the main draw for the Knoxville Nike Tour tournament in Tennessee in May -- he missed out by just two strokes on that occasion -- remains convinced it is only a matter of time before he makes the breakthrough.

The 36-year-old, dominant in local golf competitions over recent years, also vied for a place on the Teardrop Tour -- a mini tour just below Nike standard -- but missed the cut in two of the three qualifying competitions during his three-week stint overseas.

"My putting let me down,'' he confessed. "I hit the ball really well, but I didn't make any birdie putts. I was okay from three or four feet but I just couldn't make it from eight or nine feet.'' That weakness -- which Pearman believes to be only temporary -- was clearly shown in the North Carolina Teadrop event.

"I didn't make my first birdie until the 33rd hole,'' he admitted.

"My putting's not usually a problem; I'm normally pretty strong but it's let me down a little in the last few months.

"But at least I know what my weakness is and I can come back here and practice hard, work on my putting and make it stronger.'' Nike Tour qualification gives little margin for error, with just one round deciding the 12 or 14 players to make the main competition from an initial 150 or more. Pearman consequently believes he needs the experience of the other tours -- of being away for several weeks -- to get him in the groove for such one-off events.

"The competition is strong,'' he said, "but you have to be able to shoot under par or it makes no sense being there. However, I think it's just a matter of time: one day it will all kick in.'' Pearman has been trying to fit in his attempts to qualify for the overseas tours with his commitments at Ocean View.

Earlier in the season he said he was unable to afford to go out to the US and stay, but that was before sponsor David Ezekiel, president of IAS and chairman of Port Royal Golf Club, where Pearman was formerly assistant pro, stepped in to help him with travel and accommodation costs.

"I want to thank him for giving me the opportunity and courage to go out there and give it a crack,'' said Pearman. "I hope he can continue to sponsor me so I can have more than one shot at it.''