Move over Kobe Bryant, Michael Sims is about to take the City of Angels by storm.

The reigning Bermuda Open champion will compete at next month?s Canadian Winter Qualifying School tournament at the Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills, California for one of 20 exempt playing cards up for grabs.

The 72-hole tournament will be held from February 14th to the 17th.

And Sims preparations for the tournament include competing later this week at a pro-am tournament in the Dominican Republic.

?I?m actually going to be playing with a couple of other Bermudians,? Sims told prior to jetting off to the Caribbean.

?Then I?ll probably have a few lessons with my teacher (Steve Napoli) back in the states and talk with Donn Smith who has been helping me out with the mental aspect of things.?

Smith, also a very good friend of Sims, has specialised in human performance enhancement and worked with elite athletes for the past 25 years.

?He?s helped me with my whole outlook on many things,? added Sims.

The Bermudian failed to secure am exempt playing card that would have enabled him to compete on the more lucrative PGA Tour at last November?s Qualifying School Tournament held at the Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, Florida.

Sims finished in a three-way tie for 40th.

But good fortunes would soon return as Sims had good showings at both the Gosling?s Invitational and Goodwill Tournaments on local soil to finish the season on a good note.

Now Sims hopes to carry that hard earned momentum over into the new year, and beyond.

?The last four months have been really good for me. And obviously there are certain people I credit for that like my sponsors (Belmont Hills and XL Capital),? he continued.

?From August through to the Goodwill I thought I played some really good golf. It?s been so much fun to be over at Belmont and being around all these wonderful people. It really made being back home very enjoyable. They just make you feel so welcome.

?But it?s a new year now and hopefully I can qualify for the Canadian Tour and then bounce around a couple of the mini tours.?

And as for his game, Sims explained: ?I?m hitting the ball fairly nicely and I?m feeling very confident at the moment.

?But this is a journey (qualifying for PGA) and as an athlete I?m always looking to improve myself and get to the next level.?