Kim turned down in effort to secure European Tour card for 2011 season

American Anthony Kim has had his application to play on the European Tour in 2011 turned down. The 25-year-old Kim did not compete in the required 12 tournaments this year, but had hoped to obtain medical exemption after missing three months of the season with a thumb injury. However, Tournament Committee Chairman Thomas Bjorn said on Wednesday that Kim’s failure to play any events on the European Tour since returning to action in August counted against him. “We accept that he has been injured,” Bjorn said. “But he started playing again in August and has made no effort to complete his 12 tournaments. And there have been plenty of events here since the end of the FedExCup in America which he could have entered.” Kim underwent surgery on ligaments in his left thumb in May, weeks after winning the Shell Houston Open and finishing third at the Masters in Augusta. He returned to action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Aug. 8 and played a further five tournaments on the PGA Tour, but failed to add to his seven European Tour entries in 2010. Kim lies 48th on the Race to Dubai money list, but will not qualify for Europe’s season-ending Dubai World Championship next month because of his failure to play 12 events.