Michael Sim withdraws from Masters with shoulder injury

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Michael Sim, the leading money winner on the Nationwide Tour last season, has been forced to withdraw from next week's Masters because of a shoulder injury.

Sim's agent, Bud Martin, said that the injury to his right shoulder has been giving Sim some problems for the last month or so on the PGA TOUR.

"He's obviously disappointed," Martin said about Sim, who is ranked No. 43 in the world rankings and was going to play in his first Masters. "He had been looking forward to the week at Augusta, so it's just unfortunate."

Sim, a 25-year-old Australian, won three times last season on the Nationwide Tour and broke the Tour's record for earnings in a season with just under $650,000.

So far this season on the PGA TOUR, Sim has made five of six cuts with his best finish a tie for second at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January. Heading into this week's Houston Open Sim was ranked 60th in the FedExCup.

Martin said Sim started to have some shoulder problems about three weeks ago. In his only tournament in March Sim finished 68th at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship with rounds of 75-74-77-74.

Martin said that Sim was now in Australia. He could miss the next three to four weeks.

Last season Sim, the Nationwide Tour Player of the Year, played in three tournaments on the PGA TOUR with his best finish at tie for 18th at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.