By Mark Lamport-Stokes

JOHNS CREEK, Georgia (Reuters) - South African Tim Clark, sidelined for much of this year by an elbow injury, has been appointed as a captain's assistant for the International team at the Presidents Cup in Australia in November.

International captain Greg Norman made the announcement on Tuesday during a meeting of potential team members ahead of this week's PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.

"Tim brings a lot of Presidents Cup experience to the position, having been a member of three previous International teams," Australian Norman said in a statement.

"When he and I spoke a few weeks ago, he confided in me on the status of his medical dilemma, and I quickly realized he would not be able to compete due to pending surgery that is necessary for him to return to his winning ways.

"With this, I came to the conclusion after consultation with Frank (Nobilo), that he would be an enormous asset to me, Frank, and to the team in the role of captain's assistant."

New Zealander Nobilo served as a captain's assistant to Norman in the 2009 Presidents Cup at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco and had already been re-appointed in the same role for this year.

Clark, who made his debut for the Internationals in 2003, has played in three Presidents Cups, compiling a 5-2-8 record.

He has competed in only four PGA Tour events this year while struggling with an elbow tendon problem that first surfaced at the season opener in Hawaii in January.

The 2011 Presidents Cup, a biennial contest between the United States and the rest of the world barring Europe, will be staged at Royal Melbourne Golf Club from November 17-20.

(Editing by Simon Evans)