Jesper Parnevik
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Personal Information | |
---|---|
Birth | March 7, 1965 Stockholm, Sweden |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
Nationality | Sweden |
Residence | Jupiter, Florida, U.S. |
College | None |
Career | |
Turned Pro | 1986 |
Current tour | PGA Tour European Tour |
Professional wins | 13 (PGA Tour: 5, European Tour: 4, Other: 4) |
Best Results in Major Championships | |
Masters | T20: 2001 |
U.S. Open | T14: 1998 |
British Open | 2nd/T2: 1994, 1997 |
PGA Championship | T5: 1996 |
|
Jesper Bo Parnevik (born March 7, 1965) is a Swedish professional golfer. He spent 38 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2000 and 2001.[1]
Parnevik was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the son of the Swedish entertainer Bo Parnevik. His place in the pantheon of golf stars stems from both his playing achievements and his distinctive and eccentric taste in clothes and fashion.
Parnevik's on-course trademark was the upturned bill on his baseball cap. This became so much his trademark that, when he played on the European Ryder Cup team, he received a customized team cap with the Ryder Cup logo on the bottom of the bill instead of the front, so that it could be seen when he turned up the bill. He has since stopped wearing the flipped-bill hat, and now wears other types of eccentric hats. His flamboyant fashion sense, featuring disco-style purple trousers and other golf apparel designed by Johan Lindeberg, has been politely described as "eclectic," and he's been known to change outfits at the halfway stage of a round of tournament golf. As of 2006, one of his new trademark on-course fashion statements is a necktie worn under a vest. He is also famous for eating volcanic dust as a dietary supplement.[2]
Parnevik turned professional in 1986 and scored four wins in his early years on the European Tour. Based in Florida, he joined the PGA Tour in the mid-90s, subsequently winning five events. His playing career also includes three Ryder Cup appearances - in 1997, 1999, and 2002. He has twice been a runner-up in The Open, in 1994 and 1997. His career best world ranking of seventh, which he attained on 14 May 2000, was the highest world ranking achieved by a Swedish golfer until Henrik Stenson reached the top five in February 2007.[3]
Parnevik is also credited with introducing fellow professional golfer Tiger Woods to Swedish model Elin Nordegren (previously employed as a nanny by Parnevik) who Woods would eventually marry.
Parnevik finished second in the Valero Texas Open in October 2007, losing to Justin Leonard in a playoff. Parnevik's nickname on tour is Spaceman, he resides in Jupiter, Florida, United States. A thoughtful historian on his free time, and a man with varied tastes, he was recently asked who he'd like to have dinner with, quickly replying that it would have to be a choice between scientist Albert Einstein and singer Elvis Presley; when told he could only have one, he shot back, "O.K., Elvis Einstein."
[edit] Professional wins (13)
[edit] European Tour wins (4)
- 1993 Bell's Scottish Open
- 1995 Volvo Scandinavian Masters
- 1996 Trophée Lancôme
- 1998 Volvo Scandinavian Masters
[edit] PGA Tour wins (5)
- 1998 (1) Phoenix Open
- 1999 (1) Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic
- 2000 (2) Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, GTE Byron Nelson Classic
- 2001 (1) Honda Classic
[edit] Other wins (4)
- 1988 Ramlosa Trophy, Odensa Open (both Sweden), Open Passing Shot (France)
- 1990 Swedish Open International Stroke Play
[edit] Results in major championships
Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T21 | T31 | CUT |
U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T48 | T14 | T17 |
The Open Championship | T21 | 2 | T24 | T44 | T2 | T4 | T10 |
PGA Championship | DNP | CUT | T20 | T5 | T45 | CUT | T10 |
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Masters | T40 | T20 | T39 | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP |
U.S. Open | CUT | T30 | T54 | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
The Open Championship | T36 | T9 | T28 | DQ | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | T51 | T13 | CUT | T34 | CUT | T28 | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
DQ = Disqualified
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
[edit] Team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Sweden): 1984, 1986
- St. Andrews Trophy (representing Continental Europe): 1986
Professional
- Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 1997 (winners), 1999, 2002 (winners)
- Alfred Dunhill Cup (representing Sweden): 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
- World Cup (representing Sweden): 1994, 1995
- Europcar Cup: 1988 (winners)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ 69 Players Who Have Reached The Top-10 In World Ranking
- ^ http://golf.com/gdc/news/article.asp?id=31387
- ^ Henrik Stenson Wins the WGC-Accenure Match Play and Reaches World Number 5, Official World Golf Ranking site, 26 February, 2007.