An emotional Michael Sim feels his career is finally getting back on track after clinching a thrilling victory in the Queensland Open.
Now 33, the former US PGA Tour player from WA trailed by five shots at one stage but birdied the last hole with a 12-foot putt to secure his first professional win on home soil and his first anywhere since 2009.
Sim closed with a two-under 69 at Brisbane Golf Club to finish at nine-under and won by a shot from Oliver Goss (71) and New Zealander Kieran Muir, who roared home with a 66.
Muir's countryman Harry Bateman came to the last hole needing a birdie to catch Sim but made a bogey to end up tied fourth.
Having had his promising career marred by a series of injuries which began during his US tour days, Sim was emotional afterwards.
"I never thought this might happen again and it's my first professional win in Australia, there's a lot to look forward to," Sim said.
"This game, you just don't know what's going to happen.
"I felt like I was on top of my game six years ago, top 50 in the world.
"I know I'm still a little far away from that but at least I know I can still do it."
The win gives him the security of a full-time spot on the PGA Tour of Australasia for the remainder of 2017 and 2018.
He'll now return to the six-stage Japan Tour qualifying school under less pressure.
"My priority now is to get the body ready. I've got the next six days off then I'm off to Japan for the third stage of qualifying.
"Until this week if I didn't get through in Japan I didn't know where I'd be.
"I'm not too high on the Australasian Order of Merit and I've got a really small Web.com category as a past champion, but there was still obviously doubt there.
"I think I've kind of relaxed in the last few weeks and just tried to play golf, if I was hitting a bad shot or miss a short putt I just move on."
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