Michael Sims will have to rely on a partial exemption and sponsors' invitations as he attempts to get his professional golf career back on track on the Nationwide Tour next year.

The Bermudian's hopes of regaining his full Tour card came to a grinding halt on Saturday when he failed to advance from the second stage of PGA Tour Q School at the TPC Craig Ranch course in McKinney, Texas.

Needing to finish at least in a tie for 21st to move on to the final stage of Q School early next month when he would have had the chance to earn full Nationwide Tour privileges or even a place on the lucrative PGA Tour, Sims dropped into a tie for 33rd after a last round of one-over par 72 to finish with on one-under 283.

Those at four-under and better moved onto the final stage at Bear Lakes CC from December 2-7 – a six-round marathon considered one of the toughest tests in pro golf.

Sims will be left reflecting on the final Nationwide Tour event last month when he led the Miccosukee Championship late in the third round only to record one of his worst final rounds of the season, a five-over 76.

That left him 61st on the money-list when only the top 60 retained automatic Tour status.

Resuming his third round on Saturday after Friday's play had been disrupted by heavy rain, the 30-year-old Georgia-based pro carded a one-under 70 to add to a first round 71 and a second round of 70.

But completing the final round later on Saturday, Sims stumbled with a bogey at the par-four first and a double-bogey six at the par-four eighth. And birdies at the par-five ninth and par-four 14th weren't enough to salvage his tournament.