Darkness delays round one in Mexico
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2008 Mexico Open | Round One | 01 Feb 2008
As had been the case at the PGA Tour’s FBR Open, the opening round of the Nationwide Tour’s Mexico Open was been suspended due to darkness with some 15 players caught on the golf course when play was called.
The leader at that time and the likely first round leader was 26-year-old Tom Johnson, who returns to the Nationwide Tour in 2008 after an unsuccessful season on the PGA Tour in 2007. Johnson leads by two over a group of four players at four under 68, two of whom have yet to finish their rounds.
One of those at four under is the West Australian Michael Sim, who is back on the Nationwide Tour after a tough time on the PGA Tour last year. He does have the possibility of five starts on the PGA Tour as part of a minor medical exemption and this event will likely act as a warm up for one or two of those he will secure in the next few weeks. Sim’s round was a rollercoaster ride with six birdies, four bogeys and an eagle.
The 23-year-old Sim has been plagued by back concerns for the past 18 months although it now appears he is on the road to recovery. The Scottish born but Australian raised Sim was the world’s leading amateur before turning professional at the end of 2005 and some good results in recent weeks, including a third place behind Peter Lonard at the recent Australian PGA Championship, suggest he is getting back to where he was before injury.
Jarrod Lyle and Greg Chalmers have also made excellent starts to be at three under 68.
