According to industry insiders, Anthony Kim isn’t a saint, but he’s also not “the current John Daly.”

During AK’s rookie year in ‘07, he was infamous for hitting bars post-rounds, not practicing and staying out all night mid-tournaments. But he made it well known in ‘08 that he’d learned from his mistakes and reformed — he said he’d quit his excessive partying ways and since then, was maintaining a stringent practice and workout routine. Given his very public affirmations, he should realize an alleged minor slip-up becomes major news.

If there’s truth to Robert Allenby’s accusations, it doesn’t surprise people. Even though AK publicly proclaimed he’s cleaned up his act, he still has a huge party reputation. And during this year’s NBC’s pre-US Open Bethpage Black event — Michael Jordan, Fred Couples and Rocco Mediate attended, too — AK was rumored to be hitting it hard once again.

Sure, he’s had some come-to-Jesus moments with several of the veteran players on Tour — they basically told him he would just be an average golfer if he continued his reckless boozing and tail-chasing.

So if AK did indeed beat Allenby hungover and with little sleep, that could be disastrous for him — if he gets in his head that he can play well with a Jager bomb regimen, he could be in for a serious backslide.

Is he destined to be the next John Daly-like train wreck? No. He’s a 24-year-old kid who likes to have a good time. But AK should be aware that once he goes public about his reformation project, whether he’s partying once a week or 24/7, it’s going to be heavily scrutinized.

[Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images]

If you’re looking for a true test of golf in the New York area, Bethpage Black is the course to play. It challenges every part of the game from tee to green. On the first tee, golfers are greeted by the notorious sign: “Bethpage Black is an extremely difficult course, which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” In other words, put away the ego before teeing it up.

Bethpage has established itself as a beast of a golf course. From the elevated tees and greens to the steep sidehills, it’s quite the hike. Golfers who play the long ball have an advantage. Also, the rough is incredibly thick and the ball sits down in it, which creates the makings for a tough shot out. And if you hit it in the extra-tall stuff, then you might as well declare a lost ball. That said, hitting fairways and greens is especially important at Bethpage, as errant shots aren’t forgiven.

The 2002 and 2009 US Opens were held at Bethpage. Poor weather plagued the tournament this summer, which turned the course into a marsh — it was like Woodstock for golfers! But it didn’t take away from the magical environment and experience. I was lucky enough to attend and I braved the mud and rain 7 of the 8 days. I was taken aback by the great energy that comes naturally with a major championship and there’s just something special about Bethpage that awed me.

Like the other ‘09 major championships, it came down to the wire. David Duval almost made the comeback of the decade. Phil Mickelson almost brought the trophy back to his family. Tiger Woods almost completed one of his famous Sunday comebacks. But in the end, the unassuming Lucas Glover prevailed.

I’ve never played the course, but I hope to soon. The only kicker, and it’s a big one, is that it’s practically impossible to grab a tee time — unless you’re willing to camp out in your car and wait for an attendant to hand out tickets around 4:30AM. Yes, it’s going to extreme lengths to play golf, but it’d definitely be worth it, not to mention quite the experience.

The majors yielded some unlikely or should I say interesting champions, so to speak. And it’s not a bad thing. I mean, God forbid, Tiger didn’t win his 15th to move one step closer to tying (and surpassing) Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 career major titles. Because he’s broken just about every other record and we can’t bear that it’s taking him, oh so long, to achieve the most-coveted of all. So, that’s not a bad thing either.

Since we have to wait 8 grueling months before the Masters, let’s take a look back at this year’s majors. I graded them with a 4-star rating with 1 being the lowest and 4, obviously, the highest.

The Masters: While the ending was rather anticlimactic, it was a thrilling Sunday at Augusta. Only two holes separated 48-year-old Kenny Perry from the Green Jacket, his first major title and becoming the oldest player in history to win one. It would have been one of the best Cinderella stories in golf’s history. Unfortunately his nerves caught up with him and he finished with consecutive bogeys, which landed him in a three way playoff with Angel Cabrera and Chad Campbell. By then, Perry had lost his momentum. In other words, he let the moment define him. So did Campbell. Cabrera just kept playing golf, one shot at a time. He was a fun winner, but Perry’s heartbreak overshadowed his victory. Just imagine had Campbell won — now that would have been a major travesty — if we’re talking in terms of snore alert. The whole Kenny Perry thing still eats at me. And because I’m a sap, I cried for him.

Rating: 2 stars

The US Open: I was at Bethpage Black 7 out of 8 days and had an absolutely amazing time. I felt like a little kid at the candy store. So, It really pains me to say it was the least climactic of the majors. Stormy weather forced delays and less than ideal playing conditions. Players, fans and volunteers alike stomped through the soggy, muddy and messy grounds at Bethpage Black. Here’s what we learned: Mother Nature wins every time. In my opinion, it was a fantastic tournament. Unfortunately it was dampened because the biggest story line was the weather.

Tiger Woods started the tournament poorly and never gained enough momentum to stage a real comeback. Phil Mickelson, the fan favorite (something I’ll never be able to understand, especially since NY fans are pretty savvy when it comes to sensing BS), was supposed to take the trophy home to his family. He had a shot, but pulled a Phil and came up short. Then, there was David Duval, who was resurrected after disappearing off the face of the leaderboard for nearly a decade. Instead, good ol’ Lucas Glover played 72 steady holes of golf and turned out to be the most uninteresting winner of the year.

I had no dire complaints because I was sitting in the 18th green grandstands. So, regardless, it was exciting. I even teared during the trophy presentation (again, I’m a sap). There’s something about the conclusion of major sporting events, where I imagine the emotions running through the champions — the shock, the adrenaline, the excitement — and just how incredible it must feel to have their hard work materialize.

But I digress. If you were watching on TV, I’m sure it was boring as hell.

Rating: 1 star

British Open: An eight foot putt stood between Tom Watson and the story of a lifetime. No one could believe the 59-year-old legend shot 65 in the first round. And no one thought he could hold the lead after 36 holes. When Sunday came along, he made us believe — before the final 18 began, we had basically written the fairy tale ending — the one where the good guy prevails over the bad guy and takes home the girl.

Instead, Stewart Cink drained a clutch putt on the 72nd hole and Watson missed one. Our hearts sank as we watched Watson collapse in the four hole playoff. Because we wanted our story (perhaps even more than Watson), Stewie was dubbed the villain who denied Watson the Claret Jug.

Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, there’s no denying the British Open was the best major of the year; not to mention the most memorable I’ve seen in my lifetime. Oh, the agony, the tears, and the drama — Turnberry made for the perfect theater. That’s all I have to say…or I might start mourning the loss again. And last month I cried enough for Watson to last a lifetime.

Rating: 4 stars

The PGA Championship: Had it not been for the final 9 holes, this would have easily been the least interesting major. And had the rest of the field not showed up to play on Saturday, I might have fallen asleep amidst the telecast. So, let’s be thankful Tiger didn’t perform his usual final nine — or for that matter, weekend — heroics. Mostly, we have Y.E. Yang to thank for the mind-blowing 3-hybrid he hit into the 72nd hole — the shot that brought down Tiger and his perfect streak of winning when he held the lead after 36 and 54 holes. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Tiger until around the 60th hole when I realized Yang actually had a damn good chance to win.

Now, we have the first Asian-born major champion and golf has been affirmed as a global sport. More important, we have proof Tiger is, in fact, human (a friendly reminder in case you haven’t heard it enough recently).

Rating: 3 stars

So there you have it. I cry a lot at post-majors — for the winners and the losers. In all seriousness, the year of the Bridesmaids was a good one. Well, unfortunately for the champions, the back stories and the runners-up upstaged their glory. Perhaps we never got the outcome we expected or wanted, but we still got compelling narratives. Not to mention, it’ll be even more exciting when Tiger wins the Masters next April. The anticipation is part of the game. And the chase keeps the game interesting.

How would you rate the majors?

It was reported yesterday that Tom Watson would need an invitation to play in the PGA Championship at Hazeltine next month. It’s the only major he’s never won. Well, I doubt he cares about that minor detail. He already has 8 other major championships on his resume. Let’s be real, the chances of Watson winning the PGA and completing the career grand slam are about as likely as me going out and shooting 59 at Bethpage Black tomorrow.

Not to take away from his stellar play at the British Open — if you haven’t noticed, I’ve sang his praises loudly. But remember that at a links golf course, especially Turnberry, we’re more likely to see an unlikely winner (or runner-up). Watson himself even said that he doesn’t go to Augusta because he can’t play it anymore unless he’s “absolutely perfect” (read: he has no chance).

In fact, I’m not sure if he should play. It’d be kind of depressing if he played poorly. Like really, really poorly. I’d like to keep him at the high standard I have now. I mean, I wouldn’t mind seeing him at Hazeltine. Who knows, maybe he’ll surprise us…again. After all, he has shown us that the unthinkable is possible (even an almost win qualifies). But ehh…

Let’s give the guy some breathing room before we start asking him to perform more heroics. I think he’s had enough excitement to last him quite a while. Don’t forget, he’s rather fragile at his age.

[Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images Europe]

[Saucon Valley Old Course, 10th hole]

Despite the LPGA Commish fiasco, the US Women’s Open still managed to provide all the excitement that comes with a Major championship. Thanks to Eun-Hee Ji’s clutch play down the stretch and Mike Davis’ brilliant risk-reward setup philosophy.

I was at Saucon Valley for the first three rounds. On Saturday, the players had the option to have a go at driving the green on the par 4 10th. When I first saw the tees had been pushed to the forward box, I thought, “What the heck?” Then I watched Alexis Thompson and Song-Hee Kim play the hole and realized I should have known it was meant to give players options.

The length of the course was shortened on each successive day: 6714, 6708, 6486 and 6337 yards. It didn’t play any easier. I mean, did you see those pin placements?!? Changing the yardage was definitely a different approach, but Davis did it to add excitement. Also it forced players to make what is sometimes a difficult decision - to play “smart” or go for the green. If they went for it, it was a bit of a mental challenge because they had to trust their swing, especially the players in the final groups coming down the stretch. As we witnessed, errant tee shots had the potential to lead to large numbers from around the greens.

On Sunday, the back nine at Saucon Valley played significantly shorter with the option to drive the greens on both the par 4 10th and 15th. The par 3 17th was only 126 yards and downhill. I would imagine most players had a pitching wedge into the green. But the pin was challenging in that it was tucked in the back left corner. To get it close, the ladies had to aim at the pin or just right of it to catch the downslope and let the ball funnel down toward the hole - which resulted in many makable birdie opportunities.

The shortened par 4s reminded me of the shortened 18th hole in the final round at Bethpage Black. Many criticized that it only measured 354 yards and the guys hit irons from the tee and pitched up to the green. Perhaps it wasn’t climactic, but I didn’t think It took away that much from what was still an exciting finish at the men’s Open.

In the final round, it appeared Ji was out of contention when she made double-bogey on the par 4 10th (a la Paula Creamer’s triple in the third round). But what we witnessed was exactly what Davis intended. Pretty brilliant if you ask me.

Ji rebounded and quietly made her move starting on the 13th hole. She birdied three of the final six - including a finish that in a way “saved” the tournament that was tainted by the “player revolt.” IMHO. To make a 20 footer under pressure - at the US Open, no less - was the ending we all needed. Johnny Miller likened it to Tiger Woods’ thrilling putt to clinch the title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Like the setup at Bethpage, Davis’ risk-reward design at Saucon Valley was a true test of golf and identified the most consistent player and deserving champion. The shortened holes on the back nine opened the door for players to make a run and shake up the leaderboard. Indeed that’s what happened and probably to some extent how Davis envisioned it. It came down to the final putt on the final hole. Now that’s what I call an epic win.

I’m heading to Saucon Valley in…well, as soon as I finish this post. I attended the Men’s US Open last month at Bethpage Black, and I’m just as excited for the US Women’s Open (added bonus: no rain in the forecast, fingers crossed). To attend both this summer is a huge privilege. Three months ago, had someone told me I’d be doing this, I would have looked at them like they were crazy. Despite the LPGA’s leadership debacle, I think everyone is a professional and it won’t taint the grandeur this week (any more than it already has). In fact, I expect the vibe to be enthusiastic. I’m ready to catch some excellent golf at a fantastic course.

I’ve heard nothing but praise for Saucon Valley - and that it’s long. The course is set up to play 6,740 yards, par 71. The graduated rough concept will be in place. I expect it’s up and those who find themselves in the long grass will have trouble. That said, the players who hit the long ball will have an advantage. Those who bomb it off the tee won’t have to hit woods on their approach shots and will be able to control the ball better on the fast-rolling greens. However, I’m a strong believer that accuracy trumps length at the end of the day. I’ll have more to say once I actually walk the course this afternoon.

In related news, Natalie Gulbis and Michelle Wie, two of the most recognizable names in women’s golf, are not in the field this week. The USGA addressed a glitch in the qualifying procedure. On Wednesday evening, a presser was released announcing the decision to move from two-stages of qualfiying to a single stage.

For a more comprehensive look at the US Open, take a gander at the Constructivist’s and Hound Dog’s previews. Without further ado, here are some players who I’ll be watching for near the top of the leaderboard this week:

Jiyai Shin: I bet she’s on everyone’s list this week. She might have a disadvantage being a shorter hitter, but she sure is accurate. She’s the third best golfer in the world. She ranks first in driving accuracy and third in greens in regulation. Jiyai also has momentum on her side, winning two weeks ago at Wegman’s. To put it simply, she’s having an awesome year.

Lorena Ochoa: She’s the world number one ranked golfer and she has two wins already this season. However, as of late, she hasn’t done anything noteworthy, but she’s still placed in the top 25 in the past three tournaments. I wouldn’t bet against her.

Yani Tseng: She stripes it off the tee - leading the Tour in driving distance. Yani won the Corning Classic in May. In the past two tournaments, she’s placed T6 and T2. She’s a name you’ll always see in the hunt.

Suzann Pettersen: She hits the long ball, ranking fourth in driving distance on tour. She fell ill during the LPGA Championship and had to W/D. It appears she’s recuperated as she placed T6 last week at the Jamie Farr Classic.  She’s placed in the top-10 in six other events, bu hasn’t won this year…YET. She’s due. Why not it be the most coveted of them all?

Stacy Lewis: This rookie won Q-school in December. In her past two tournaments, she’s placed in the top ten. It looks like she’s getting closer to fulfilling those high expectations. She’s also an excellent ballstriker so the course should favor her game. She has a good record at the US Open, finishing third last year.

Here’s to a memorable week at the 64th US Open! Stay tuned for more from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

I still have a US Open Hangover and I’m probably not alone. (Unfortunately it’s not because I was drinking my liver to death with the rest of the crowd.) Personally, I had an amazing experience at Bethpage last week. I was there bright and early on Day 1 of the practice round through the very end on the following Monday when Lucas Glover was presented the trophy. I only missed Saturday. You might say it was a little extreme for me to go seven of eight days. Perhaps it was. But I was presented with the opportunity and I didn’t want to miss a second of it. (Speaking of which, a huge thank you to Billy Rodgers, Tim Flaherty and Ryan Moore.) How often is the US Open practically held in your backyard? (OK, 3 years ago at Winged Foot.) And at a course like Bethpage Black, no less.

I became pretty familiar with the golf course. From Day 1, I understood why the course was dubbed a “beast.” I felt like I was on a rigorous hike every day. I’ll throw it out there and say I walked at least 5 miles a day. I tend to bounce around quite a bit, in that I’ll watch the players practice, follow a few groups for several holes and eventually grab a seat in the grandstand.

The only downside of being at the tournament was that I missed some of the key shots or facts shown via the TV coverage. However, I was able to observe from a different point of view. I tried my best to pay attention to course management strategies and to actually learn the course set up firsthand. And I got to watch the players that don’t get much air time or just the guys that weren’t near the top of the leaderboard but playing excellent golf.

Best of all, I caught some of the “off-air” action. I got a glimpse of their personalities just by watching them practice and interact. After the first round, I expected to see the “don’t talk to me, don’t come near me” Tiger. But I watched him on the practice green chatting and joking with Francesco Molinari, who was basically hovering over him as he worked on his 10 footers. I also saw Sergio greet two ladies on the 10th hole on Sunday. I wondered if he had flown them out on his private jet. Well, it looks like he finally figured out how to get over Morgan-Leigh. Then there was the witty banter between the fans, the players and the cops - it wasn’t just dumb drunks making abrasive remarks.

I braved the rain, delays, mud, crowds and drunks. I came home every day with mud caked up to my knees. My sneakers and golf shoes have both seen the washing machine twice - as have my rain gear and jeans. But it was well worth it. With all that said, it was a privilege to be there. Thank you, Bethpage, the USGA, the volunteers, grounds crew, players and other fans.

Say it ain’t so! Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open Champion, wasn’t exactly who most expected or wanted to see at the top of the leaderboard upon completion of play. Then again, it was a peculiar five days, or as some called it, the “never-ending” Open - one that many were glad to see finally come to a close.

Ricky “Ticking Time Bomb” Barnes began the final round with a one stroke lead over Glover. I won’t say that he choked per se. Glover was the deserving winner. He outlasted the rest and played the best for 72 holes.

But unfortunately, well, to say it as nicely as possible, Barnes didn’t bring his A game or for that matter, his B game. Blame it somewhat on nerves, inexperience or this fickle game called golf - whichever you’d like.

It was a shame to see Barnes unravel - he jumped on the bogey train early and couldn’t stop ‘til he reached the 13th hole. Perhaps a funny way to compare it to would be this excerpt from The Royal Tenenbaums:

Tennis Announcer 1: That’s 72 unforced errors for Richie Tenenbaum. He’s playing the worst tennis of his life. What’s he feeling right now?
Tennis Announcer 2: I don’t know, Jim. There’s obviously something wrong with him. He’s taken off his shoes and one of his socks and… actually, I think he’s crying.

We can fill in the blanks for how he probably felt. But, he sure didn’t cry. In fact, he did just the opposite - he was still all smiles at the end of the day. He looked genuinely sincere when he congratulated Glover on the 18th green and also during the trophy presentation. He didn’t try to make any excuses. Instead, he stayed positive about how he played overall. Now that’s what I call sportsmanship.

In my mind, Barnes walked away just as much of a winner as Glover. Hats off to both.

[photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images]

Over the past few weeks, Ian Poulter has been an absolute Twitter addict. I’d say it started during the NBA Finals when he tweeted a picture of Hulk’s hairpiece at Game 4 of the Magic vs. Lakers series.

The U.S. Open rolled around and you could say he stepped it up. During his practice rounds, he showed how tough Bethpage Black was set up here and here. He told us how the 18th hole was playing. He gave us a glimpse of his yardage and green books and his biggest fan.

He kept us updated during Thursday’s wash-out. How did they putt on those greens? Not very well. And he informed us about what the U.S.G.A. was telling the players while play was delayed. He sounded a tad frustrated, but he was a riot - not to mention honest. It was true - personally, I couldn’t see how the players would get back on the course without a canoe and paddle either. (I understand that it was a tough call and I won’t get into that right now, but ultimately the right decision was made.) And in fact, it turned out that the grounds crew at Bethpage were magicians.

He showed us his popcorn at the movies and provided a rave review of Hangover - plus photos. The confusion and error over tee times. And his thoughts on the never-ending and strangest U.S. Open. I have a feeling that he was tired (understandably so).

Poults even had a little contest to give away two tickets for Sunday! He asked fans to send him a tweet and he’d pick the best one. I’m sure he received hundreds, if not thousands. And he even met the lucky winner. How many players would take the time to go out of their way to make such a kind gesture? At a major championship, no less! I’d say very few.

He had countless amazing updates that it’s difficult to say which was the most priceless. But if I had to pick, I’d say this one from Sunday takes the cake. I’m going to spell it out because it’s downright hilarious.

Perfect drive on 10th 235 yards to go into the wind. And that’s what you get… Perfect 3 wood straight right into bunker. It’s B#LL SH#T

That was the caption attached to the picture he took of his muddy ball during a tournament round! (To clarify, he waited to tweet it between rounds.) Say what? Did that actually happen or was he messing with us? Yes, it did. Is that even allowed? I mean, who cares -the guy has guts. I was laughing out loud (perhaps even ROTFL).

Some probably think he took it a little too far this week. Maybe he did, but I enjoyed his coverage of the tournament. I was already a fan, but now I’m a huge one. I’m sure the same goes for many others. We caught a glimpse of his vibrant personality (if you couldn’t already see from his choice of clothes). Most of all, he gave us a real look inside the ropes.

It’s like we were there! Congrats on the low round of the day with a 67, Poults! And keep it up - the play and the tweeting.

Take a gander at the U.S. Open leaderboard. So far, it’s not what most expected to see - but no doubt there are plenty of interesting story lines. Mike Weir shot 64 with a double-bogey in the first round and Lucas Glover matched it in his second round. Ricky Barnes set the U.S. Open scoring record with an 8-under-par 132. David Duval has surprised everyone firing three-under-par and T4 at the moment. Tiger Woods, the clear favorite to win when the week began, is eleven shots back from the lead.

But, the story of the day goes to “that kid” Nick Taylor. The 21-year-old University of Washington senior shot 5-under-par 65 in his second round at Bethpage Black for a two round total of two-under-par. That’s only the third 65 carded by an amateur in the history of the U.S. Open! Going into the third round, he’s T7. It goes without saying that’s really good. (He’s making me sound like a genius.)

Consider the circumstances. There’s the weather. There’s the intimidation factor that comes with competing at a major championship - not to mention, held at Bethpage. You have to be mentally and physically strong, composed and patient. Nick shows that he has what it takes - you can tell just by watching him play and talking to him. When I spoke with him on Monday, I mentioned that he seemed level-headed while he was practicing and asked if that were usually the case. He replied, “I’m low key and level emotionally. I don’t get too excited or down.”

Now, this isn’t his first experience playing at the U.S. Open. Last year, he qualified for it at Torrey Pines, but missed the cut by three shots. The sometimes rowdy New York crowds don’t seem to bother him either. In fact, they appear to encourage him, “[The galleries] are going to be crazy and fun - a lot more entertaining than San Diego.”

Yesterday was a long day for those that played both in the morning and afternoon. Not wanting to bother him, I thought I’d just send him a quick text saying good job. I was surprised when he immediately responded, “Thanks, so tiring.” Then, I decided to ask the obvious question we would all want to know, “What’s working for you?” His simple reply was,  “I drove the ball great and made a lot of putts in the afternoon.” He sure did - he hit 75% of fairways and made seven birdies in his second round, one which resulted from holing out a bunker shot on the 14th hole - his last shot on Friday!

Tremendous is just one word to describe Nick’s play - especially when you remember he is still an amateur. And it was only Monday when he said, “It’s cool to play with the rest of these guys when I’m not even on the PGA Tour or a pro - I get a preview of what it’s like to play in a major.”

With what will likely be two more intense rounds of golf on the horizon, he seems poised enough to hang with the big boys and finish with one of the more memorable amateur performances in recent U.S. Open history.