After eight straight birdies, Sim leads Nationwide Tour Championship

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Australia’s Michael Sim has been breaking records and separating himself from the field all year, so a run of eight consecutive birdies during the opening round of the $1 million Nationwide Tour Championship shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise to anyone. Sim, who has won three times this year and has already busted the Tour’s single-season money record, posted a course-record 8-under 64 Thursday and staked himself to a three-stroke lead in the Tour’s season finale at Daniel Island. Sim came within inches of matching the Tour’s all-time record of nine birdies in a row set by Omar Uresti at the 1994 Shreveport Open. His 30-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th hole stopped inches short, leaving him as one of four players in Tour history to ring up eight straight. “It was in, it was definitely in the hole,” said Sim of the miss, one of few things that didn’t fit perfectly during the first day at the Ralston Creek Course. “It was more of a lag putt coming over the spine on that green. The run had to stop sooner or later.” The run began with four terrific iron shots that left him with birdie putts of less than four feet each. “I knew what I was doing,” he said of the streak. “I knew I was making birdies but I wasn’t counting, like that’s six, that’s seven. You just keep going and playing shot for shot.” Sim’s record-run in 2009 is apparently far from over. Fellow Australian Andrew Buckle and Georgia’s Justin Bolli share second place with 5-under 67s. D.J. Brigman and Adam Bland, another Aussie, are at 4-under 68 and tied for fourth. “I’ve won here before so it brings back good memories,” said Sim, who won the 2006 PalmettoPride Classic on his 22nd birthday on this same course. “I can’t say I saw it coming, but I played great on Tuesday and I played great yesterday in the pro-am.” Sim turns 25 Friday and has been great all year, dominating the Tour like no other. He moved to No. 1 on the money list with his first victory of the year at the Stonebrae Classic in early April and has remained at the top since — a record run of 23 consecutive weeks. Nobody has gotten close to him all year and this week could be a microcosm of the 2009 season. “I’m here to win the tournament,” said Sim, who admitted his mind wasn’t solidly on his game when he finished tied for 17th at the Miccosukee Championship. “My attitude wasn’t very good last week.” His mind and game are sharp as they’ve ever been, which speaks volumes for the former No. 1-ranked amateur in the world. “I felt like I was going to play good today. I didn’t see eight birdies,” he said. “It’s not something you do every day. Or something I’ve done, ever.” Buckle, meantime, might be focused on the tournament within the tournament. The 25 leading money winners at the end of the week will earn their PGA Tour cards for next year. Buckle is No. 27 on the list and on the outside looking in. “I’ve got to play well to achieve the 25,” said Buckle. “I’m not really worried about that. I’m just trying to play the best I can and just enjoy it and try to have some fun out there.” Buckle was one of four players to share the 54-hole lead at last week’s Miccosukee Championship and had a chance to secure one of the coveted cards but stumbled to a 45 on the final nine holes and dropped into a tie for 32nd. “It didn’t worry me at all,” he said of his disappointing finish. “You get over it quick. Those things happen.” First-Round Notes: Michael Sim’s eight consecutive birdies were the most in Nationwide Tour Championship history and the most on Tour this year. The all-time record for consecutive birdies is nine in a row by Omar Uresti at the 1994 Shreveport Open. Three others have also run off eight straight: Franklin Langham, 2004 Rheem Classic; Jason Gore, 2005 Cox Classic; Tim Wilkinson, 2006 Knoxville Open. Sim’s three-stroke lead matches the largest in tournament history, set by Perry Moss in 1998 and tied by Michael Letzig in 2007. Neither Moss nor Letzig went on to win the event in those years. … No player who has held the outright lead after the first 18 holes has managed to win the Tour Championship in the first 16 years. Three players have shared the first-day lead and gone on to win: Stewart Cink in 1996, Steve Flesch in 1997 and Bob Heintz in 1999. Thursday’s scoring average was 71.362. The first-round scoring average for the 2006 PalmettoPride Classic was 72.590. … Adam Bland is No. 35 on the money list. A finish of tied for second or better projects him into the No. 24 spot on the money list. … Steve Wheatcroft is No. 31 on the money list. A tie for sixth projects him into the No. 25 spot on the money list. … Players who were bogey-free in the opening round: D.J. Brigman (68), Chad Collins (69) and Matt Every (70).