FARMINGDALE, N.Y.  The Black Course at Bethpage State Park here is a flurry of activity as groundskeepers prepare for the 110th U.S. Open, which begins tomorrow.  "I got a good lie on the 18th," says Phil Mickelson of his last practice round.  "Then I went in the clubhouse and heard a better one."

Black Course, Bethpage State Park

Mickelson is referring to the purported scores of Kim Jong-il, North Korean dictator, who qualified for the open by shooting a 17 on the 18-hole Baekdu Mountain Pines Course.  "Why is this so hard to believe?" said North Korean spokesman Son Bong Sun.  "Maybe if your Tiger Woods would practice more instead of hocking meritricious capitalist gew-gaws in commercials he could bring his score down, too."

"Nice shot, self!  Thank you, self!"

Both certain exempt golfers, mainly touring pros, and amateurs are eligible to compete in the U.S. Open.  Those who are not exempt must qualify through local and sectional play.  Kim shot a 71 over 72 holes of play to win the Glorious Triumph of the People Pyung Wah Invitational in May, leading some to question the accuracy of his scores.

Pyung-Wah Repression 2LE Sedan:  First place winner receives one, runner-up gets two.

"I was very fortunate out there today," Kim said as he relaxed in the clubhouse afterwards.  "Somebody in my foursome questioned my drop on sixteen, and he will work at hard labor for the rest of his life while his daughters scrub spare rib trays at the Supreme Worker's Cafeteria in Pyongyang."

Relaxing after a round:  Who says these guys aren't athletes?

The official web site of the North Korean Ministry of Information lists a number of Kim's records that have been called into question over the years, but which have survived challenges because the government refuses to open its books to sports writers.  "I can see how he maybe won the 1984 Outland Trophy," the award given to the outstanding interior lineman in college football each year, says Dave Morrissey of the Houston Chronicle.  "I have my doubts about his gold medal in the women's pommel horse at the 1996 Olympics."