The dream start which Michael Sims enjoyed in the first half of the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School (Q-School) came undone yesterday with the most nightmarish back nine of his career.

A catastrophic third round has jeopardised the goal which the young pro golfer has sought for four years and unless he can produce a spectacular finale today at Hombre City Golf Club in Panama, Florida, it will be all over until next year.

Four double bogeys in seven holes sent the 25-year-old careening down the leaderboard ? from sitting pretty on joint eighth at the halfway stage with three-under 141 to a distant 31st at one-over 217 for the tournament, knowing that only the top 20 plus ties advance to Q-School?s coveted third and final stage.

As the Bermudian tries to regroup this morning, one small but significant consolation is that the vital 20th spot is only two shots out of reach at one-under with 18 holes to play. In addition, he has some comfort in having already carded three-under 69 in his second round on Thursday which is the kind of score necessary for him to claw back into contention for a top-20 finish.

It is a knife-edged situation for Sims as those who advance to Q-School?s third stage will be assured of playing rights on either the PGA Tour or the secondary Nationwide Tour, both highly lucrative circuits.

What was shaping up as another superb round by the Island?s top golfer yesterday ? with Sims cruising through the penultimate round at three-under after 11 holes ? disastrously unravelled with a hat-trick of double bogeys and a fourth one on the final hole.

?He was three-under going through 11 and then he just got into some trouble and was really unlucky.

?He doubled (bogeyed) 12, 13 and 14. On one of holes the ball went out of bounds by six inches and on another it went out of bounds about the width of a golf ball. It was so minute but that happens and of course there are penalties for that. He birdied 17 and then he doubled 18,? said Sims? mother Carol, relaying the bad news to after speaking to her son and husband, Bruce.

She disclosed that golfers were forced to spend an extra hour in the clubhouse prior to teeing off because of heavy rains which resulted in competitors being permitted to ?lift, clean and place? their balls.

Winds were also pretty high. However, she stressed that Sims did not use the conditions as an excuse for his performance and he is optimistic about rebounding today.

?He is in good spirits. He always is. Obviously he is disappointed in those four holes but he is certainly not a negative person and he is looking forward to tomorrow and doing his best and hopefully coming out on top,? said his mother, busy answering a plethora of phone calls from well-wishers eager for an update on her son?s progress.

?He always thinks he can pull it off, otherwise forget it, he wouldn?t be where he is. But it?s nerve-racking being on the edge like this. There?s no question about that.?

Paul Claxton of Georgia continues to head the leaderboard on 12-under 204 while Englishman Brian Davis is four shots back in second place.