I want no Ryder Cup favours, says recovering Kim

Toronto: Anthony Kim, who has been out for more than two months due to thumb surgery, could be fit to play in next month`s U.S. PGA Championship but is more concerned about making sure he qualifies for the Ryder Cup team. "I think so," the American told reporters at the Canadian Open on Wednesday when asked if he would be ready for the year`s final major at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin from Aug. 12-15. "We`re taking it week-to-week.""I don`t want to say I`m going to come back on a day and not show up so we`re just trying to work as hard as we can (but) I definitely want to make that Ryder Cup team," added Kim who is unable to play in this week`s tournament in Toronto. "It`s a very special event to me and hopefully I can get back and get some more points so I won`t need to have any favours called in from Corey (Pavin)." Kim is fourth in the Ryder Cup rankings. The top eight qualify automatically and Pavin adds four captain`s picks for the biennial match with Europe at the Celtic Manor resort in Wales from Oct. 1-3. Until taking his break after finishing joint seventh at the Quail Hollow Championship in May to repair ligaments in his left thumb, Kim was putting together the kind of campaign that would have guaranteed Ryder Cup selection.Playing in just eight events, the 25-year-old American won more than $2.5 million and collected his third PGA Tour title at the Houston Open in April to go with a runner-up finish at the Honda Classic and a third place at the U.S. Masters. Kim, whose main backer is also the title sponsor for the Canadian Open, had hoped to play this week but was advised by doctors to delay his return. "I had a cast on for about four weeks and then put a splint on it for about three, four more weeks so it`s been a long process," explained the world number 13. "I was starting to hit some wedge shots and pitch shots so I thought maybe if I entered I`d have a chance by Thursday to come around. But after talking to my doctors they just said it would be better if I waited and better to be safe than sorry." "You don`t want to come back one week too early and then take three weeks off," said Kim. "If you hit it bad, it hurts, mentally and physically. It`s been a tougher comeback than I thought." The Canadian Open starts on Thursday. Bureau Report