Michael Sims needs to steady himself over his final four holes in the second round of the Chattanooga Classic this morning after play was suspended yesterday evening because of lightning.

Those holes might just be the key to his future on the Natiowide Tour, or even beyond.

With the half-way cut predicted at three-under-par and Sims currently standing at five-under and in a tie for 32nd, he needs to negotiate the two par-fours, a par-three and a par-five on the back nine of the Black Creek Club course without too many errors.

However, just one more birdie over those closing holes without a dropped shot would earn the 30-year-old Bermudian his fourth consecutive round of three-under – the kind of consistency which he's been struggling to find all season.

That consistency showed up early in yesterday's second round at the 7,149-yard, par-72 course just outside Chattanooga in Tennessee.

He registered just one par in the first six holes, having bogeyed the first (par four), birdied the second (par four), birdied the fourth (par five), bogeyed the fifth (par four) and birdied the sixth (par five).

The rest of the round was relatively smooth sailing as he reeled off a string of pars before adding his fourth birdie of the day at the par-five 14th, after which play was suspended.

Sims is currently eight shots off the lead, held by American Todd Dempsey at 13-under. Four players are tied for second on 10-under.

The Georgia-based pro went into the tournament – the penultimate event of the regular Tour season – in 65th place on the moneylist, chasing a spot in the end-of-season Tour Championship in two weeks' time for which only the leading 60 are eligible.

Should he make the cut today he will move tantalisingly close to putting his name among that elite group.

That would leave him just one more regular tour tournament next week – the $625,000 Miccosukee Championship at the Miccosukee Golf and Country Club in Miami – to seal his place in the million dollar Championship at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina a week later.

All 60 will be guaranteed a place on the Natiowide Tour next season, and the top 25 after that event will move on to the main PGA Tour.