Sim wins Nationwide Player of the Year

Michael Sim was named Nationwide Player of the Year.

Michael Sim capped off his record-breaking year on the Nationwide Tour with a not-so-surprising award. Sim was voted 2009 Player of the Year by his fellow Nationwide competitors Thursday, cementing his status as one of the all-time greats in the developmental tour's history.

“It really gives me a boost of confidence,” Sim said.

Sim, 25, of Perth, Australia, enjoyed one of the best years in tour history. He won three events by August, earning a promotion to the PGA Tour, and set the single-season records in earnings ($644,142) and scoring (68.81).

Sim also topped the money list for 24 consecutive weeks, eclipsing the previous mark of 20, and finished No. 1 in 10 of the Tour’s statistical categories

Next up: The PGA Tour.

“I’m excited to get out there,” Sim said. “My goal next year is to win a PGA Tour event.”

Sim competed in three PGA Tour events in 2009 and made the cut in all three. He finished tied for 18th in the U.S. Open (Sim was paired with Tiger Woods in the final round) and tied for 51st in the PGA Championship.