Super Sim: Numbers behind record-breaking season

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Michael Sim led several Nationwide Tour statistical categories on his way to three victories in 2009.
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Dec. 3, 2009

Michael Sim's 2009 Nationwide Tour season won't soon be forgotten, even as he heads to the PGA TOUR in 2010. Here's a look at his accomplishments.

* Named 2009 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year based on a vote of his fellow Tour members.

* Set a Nationwide Tour single-season money record with $644,142, breaking the mark of $495,009 set by Troy Matteson in 2005 by $149,133.

* Averaged $46,010 per start in 2009.

* Became the first player in Nationwide Tour history to go over $600,000 in a single season.

* Became the first player in Nationwide Tour history to go over $500,000 in a single season.

* Finished the season No. 1 on the money list, a spot he held since winning the Stonebrae Classic in April.

* Held the top spot on the money list for 24 consecutive weeks this year, the longest streak in the Nationwide Tour's 20-year history. The previous mark of 20 consecutive weeks was held by Tom Lehman in 1991.

* Season total of $644,142 represents 6.9 precent of the total available purse money in the 14 events ($9,300,000) he played in.

* Won three times during the year and finished second twice in 14 starts.

* Shot a final-round 64 at the inaugural Stonebrae Classic to collect his second career title.

* Defeated Fabian Gomez in a playoff at the BMW Charity Pro-Am to win for the second time in 2009.

* Held off a challenge by Josh Teater to win the inaugural Christmas In October Classic and earn a promotion to the PGA TOUR.

* Became the ninth player in Nationwide Tour history to earn a battlefield promotion to the PGA TOUR.

* Set a Nationwide Tour single-season record for Scoring Average (68.81), breaking the mark set by Zach Johnson in 2003.

* Set a Nationwide Tour single-season record for Putting Average (1.684), breaking the mark set by Zach Johnson in 2003.

* Finished No. 1 on Tour in 10 statistical categories and was ranked in the top 10 in 17 categories.

* Finished the year No. 1 on Tour in All-Around Ranking, Money Earned, Scoring Average, Putting Average, Putts Per Round, Scoring Average Before the Cut, Birdie or Better Conversion, Top-10 Finishes and Ball Striking.

* Ranked No. 2 on Tour in Driving Accuracy and Total Driving, No. 3 in Final Round Scoring Average, Birdie Average and Par 4 Birdie Average, No. 4 in Par Breakers, No. 5 in Greens in Regulation and No. 6 in Third Round Scoring Average.

* Was ranked among the top 20 in 23 of 28 statistical categories in 2009.

* Posted par-or-better scores in 43 of 52 rounds during the year.

* Missed only two cuts in his 14 starts -- Michael Hill New Zealand PGA Championship and Nationwide Tour Children's Hospital Invitational.

* Finished the year with 11 top-25 finishes in his 12 cuts made -- the only outlier a tie for 30th at The Rex Hospital Open.

* Finished the year with nine top-10 finishes in his 12 cuts made -- the exceptions being the Panama Digicel Championship (T23), the Rex Hospital Open (T30), and the Miccosukee Championship (T17).

* His top-10 finishes for the year:

1 Stonebrae Classic
1 BMW Charity Pro-Am (defeated Fabian Gomez in a playoff)
1 Christmas In October Classic
1 Nationwide Tour Championship
P2 Athens Regional Foundation Classic (lost to Patrick Sheehan)
3 Moonah Classic
T4 Michael Hill New Zealand PGA Championship
T5 Cox Classic
T10 Melwood Prince Georges County Open
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