Sim survives chaotic day to win QLD PGA playoff

February 16th, 2020 / Anthony Powter

Michael Sim defeated Scott Arnold in a dramatic playoff on Sunday to claim the Queensland PGA Championship at Toowoomba’s City Golf Club. The pair finished regulation play at 12-under-par after Arnold returned a closing round of 69 to Sim’s 70.

“Walking off 15 I thought any chance of winning was almost gone,” said Sim after a par at the fourth playoff hole was enough to defeat Arnold for the title.

Michael Sim Michael Sim (Credit: PGA Australia)

“I didn’t have my best stuff today. I don’t really think anyone near the top of the leaderboard did. Everyone kept falling away and it was nice to hit a great 8-iron into the last there in regulation and give myself a chance in the playoff.”

Brad Kennedy, who fired a course record nine-under-par 61 in the opening round, was also in contention for the title but a double bogey at the 72nd hole saw him finish one short of making the playoff.

Kennedy finished tied for third at 11-under along with Michael Hendry, Dimi Papadatos and Korean Chang Gi Lee.

Andrew Dodt, Denzel Leremia and Anthony Quayle finsihed a shot further back in a tie for 7th.

WITB: Michael Sim

  • Titleist Pro V1x
  • Titleist TS4 Driver
  • Titleist 718 T-MB (2)
  • Titleist T100 (3-PW)
  • Titleist Vokey Design SM7 Wedges
  • Titleist Scotty Cameron Squareback Putter

The win was Sim’s third victory on the Australasian Tour since 2017, when he won the Queensland Open. Sim also claimed the Western Australian Open last year.

Injury has plagued Sim for the majority of his career. The 35-year-old is currently completing his PGA of Australia traineeship at Burleigh Golf Club, yet still has the ability to nail a tournament.

Sim was the top ranked amateur in the world in 2005 having won four titles during the year and was poised for the professional ranks.

He joined the secondary Nationwide Tour (currently the Korn Ferry Tour) in 2006 where he claimed four victories. He qualified for the PGA Tour after finishing 19th on the season ending money list.

Sim performed consistently on the PGA Tour yet injury hampered any real progress.

In 2010, Sim finished runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open and achieved his highest world ranking at 34th to comfortably retain his card by finishing 65th on the money list.

But in 2011, Sim struggled and eventually went back to the Web.com Tour in 2012. A string of injuries limited Sim’s progress and he played sparingly on the PGA Tour of Australasia, Korean Tour, OneAsia Tour and Web.com Tour.

A period of rest and retreat away from the Tour grind has paid dividends for Sim and his string of local results reflect that.

This week Sim will seek back-to-back wins when he tees it up at the Queensland Open, to be played 20th-23rd at Pelican Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast for the first time.