Top local golfers are marvelling at the continuing success of young Bermudian Michael Sims who last week became the first amateur to win the New England Open in the 28-year history of the event - the latest in a string of outstanding performances this summer.

Former Tour player Kim Swan proclaimed that Sims' victories should make him a certainty to win Government's Sports Male Athlete of the Year award in January.

"I truly do equate his accomplishments with winning a gold medal at a major international sporting event. He is in the top echelon of world class amateur golf and he is doing better than holding his own," said Swan.

"Last year I realised he was on a sound footing after seeing his results and realising and knowing the type of courses he was playing and the competition he was playing against. What he has accomplished this year is phenomenal.

"I really do think Bermuda has to seriously consider him as male Athlete of the Year.

"Being a golfer, having competed at that level, I am aware that in order to participate and remain competitive in the events he has participated in this summer you have to be of an exceptional calibre, just to get in!

"These tournaments take only 150 players. To get in is a tremendous feat in itself."

Swan pointed out that it was important to remember that Sims wasn't just doing well against mediocre players, declaring that in most cases he was competing against elite amateurs from across the United States.

"You have some tremendously good golfers out there, yet Sims has become higher ranked than a lot of them. And then to go to the US Amateur and fire the type of scores that he did, it's a major championship.

"Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones and other greats include the US Amateur in their list of titles and to shoot the type of scores Sims did, is just outstanding. If you look at the top 50 amateurs in the US, you have a Bermudian who is arguably in the top five when they start calling out names . . . you ask anybody in the US to call out 10 names and Sims will have to be included.

"Any golfer who can bring themselves into that class of competition is special, they have a special gift. This summer he has carded some 65s and 64s in some key events, and I am talking about doing well on some top courses in the US.

"It helps that he is being groomed at a course (Wannamoisset) where his coach Steve Napoli is the pro. That's another highly regarded course in the US.

"There's no doubt that this young player has done Bermuda proud."

Bermuda's current number one ranked pro Dwayne Pearman, who was in the news himself last week when he pulled out of the Nations Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, also applauded the young player for his achievements - predicting that he had an outstanding career ahead.

"It was great to see a Bermudian come through like he did in an international event, he's really doing well," said Pearman, the head pro at Ocean View.

"He has been plugging away for the last couple of years while attending school and at the moment he appears to be playing really well.

"He is certainly playing with a lot of confidence as indicated by his recent success. He was always a long hitter of the ball, few his age can hit the ball as hard and his whole game is maturing.

"I am sure that he will go a long way if he keeps going like he's going.

"His success is a good thing for Bermuda, we have a lot of young kids coming up - I guess I'm old news right now - but these kids are going about it the right way and the future of golf in the Island will be in good hands because there's a lot of interest and potential here."