Sim cruises to big win at inaugural Stonebrae Classic

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Condon/PGA TOUR

Michael Sim set his goals high for this year, and is off to a great start.

HAYWARD, Calif. -- Michael Sim birdied five of six holes to finish the front nine Sunday and essentially finished off the field at the inaugural Stonebrae Classic.

The 24-year-old Australian began the final day at TPC San Francisco Bay with a one-stroke lead and pulled out to a four-stroke advantage after nine holes. Nobody would get closer the rest of the way as Sim eliminated all doubt and drama while cruising to a final-round 64 and a six-stroke victory, his second career title on the Nationwide Tour.

"I had a really good feeling that I was going to win today," said Sim. "I felt all week like this was my tournament to win. My swing feels better than it's ever been. I didn't have a score in mind today. It was just flowing. I was really in control of my game."

Sim was so far in control that the lead eventually reached seven before he closed with a late bogey to wind up at 18-under 266, but still well in front of John Kimbell (68-272) and fellow Aussie Cameron Percy (68-272).

Texas rookie Martin Piller (70) overcame a double bogey and a triple bogey to finish tied for fourth with Floridian Matt Every (71), who held the second-round lead but struggled on the weekend.

Sim, the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world in 2005, has been on a torrid pace to begin the 2009 season, which includes a third-place effort at the Moonah Classic in his native Australia and a tie for fourth the following week at the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship.

Sim also finished tied for seventh earlier at the Johnnie Walker Classic in his hometown of Perth, Australia, in mid-February. In that event, England's Paul Casey, a Sunday playoff winner at the PGA TOUR's Shell Houston Open, finished tied for 10th.

"My ball-striking this year has been fabulous," said Sim, who was tied for first in fairways hit and tied for second in greens in regulation this week. "This is the best that's ever been in my career. It's higher now than when I was No. 1 as an am. It's so much more consistent than it's ever been. I have a lot more trust in my swing."

The first-place check of $108,000 pushed Sim to the No. 1 spot on the Nationwide Tour money list with $182,017, nearly $45,000 in front of veteran Vance Veazey. THE 25 leading money-winners at the end of the year will graduate to the PGA TOUR, a place Sim spent the 2007-08 seasons but struggled because of recurring back troubles.

"I'm off to a good start this year, for sure," said Sim, who says he is 100 percent healthy again. "I set my goals high this year. I set a goal to lead the money list. I'm not looking at where the 25th-place guy finished last year. I've been working really hard on everything and it's all starting to pay off."

Sim opened the day with a birdie-bogey start to stay at 11 under, while Kimbell, Percy and Every were closing in. The lanky Australian would have none of it. A short birdie putt at the par-3 fourth hole got him rolling. By the time he drained a 40-footer for birdie at No. 9, he had distanced himself well in front of his challengers

Still, he needed to get past the 10th, a 396-yard hole that turns slightly right from the tee.

"I don't like that 10th tee. I haven't liked since I first stepped foot on it on Tuesday," he said. "As long as I got through that one, I knew I'd be okay."

Sim made it look simple -- fairway, green, two putts for par.

That was pretty much the end of the discussion. The only question left was the final margin.

He added a birdie at No. 14 and an eagle putt from three feet at the par-5 15th to increase the distance to seven.

"I couldn't believe I was seven in front," he said. "I wasn't taking notice of how much under par I was. I just know that it was a great walk coming up 18."

Final-Round Notes: The scoring average for the week was 72.160. The per-round averages were 74.161 in Round 1, 71.482 in Round 2, 70.309 in Round 3, and 71.206 in Round 4. ... The Nationwide Tour will take a week off and resume play at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic in Georgia on April 13-19.