Anthony Kim to Miss U.S. Open After Thumb Surgery

Anthony Kim had surgery on his left thumb, which will keep him out of the U.S. Open and possibly the British Open this summer.

Kim is expected to be out for 10 to 12 weeks as he recovers from Wednesday’s surgery.

He has been dealing with a torn ligament the past few months, although the 24-year-old American still managed to win the Houston Open, finish third at the Masters and get into weekend contention at Quail Hollow.

He withdrew from The Players Championship on Tuesday, and had the surgery in Baltimore a day later.

“While I had hoped to be able to continue to play through the injury, compensating for it was starting to cause other issues, including a sore shoulder that I was experiencing at the Quail Hollow Championship, and we had to get it fixed,” Kim said in a statement.

Thomas Graham of the National Hand Center in Baltimore, who performed the surgery, said he expected Kim to be able to return to the PGA Tour in 10 to 12 weeks. Graham said Kim had a partial tear of the ligament, and that Kim had reached a point where he no longer could compete on a high level.

Kim, who is leading the PGA Tour with a 69.26 adjusted scoring average, will miss the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach next month. If rehabilitation goes according to plan, that would put him back right around the British Open at St. Andrews.

Kim, who starred for the American team in the Ryder Cup two years ago, is No. 2 in the standings. If he were to return at the British Open, that would give him at least four tournaments to earn points. The top eight qualify after the PGA Championship in August.

Kim had said there was not a good time to have surgery, but that making the Ryder Cup team was a top priority.

DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.