Jesper Parnevik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jesper Parnevik |
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Parnevik in April 2007
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Jesper Bo Parnevik |
| Nickname | Spaceman |
| Born | 7 March 1965 Botkyrka, Sweden |
| Height | 1.83 m |
| Nationality |  Sweden |
| Residence | Jupiter, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Mia Parnevik |
| Children | 4, including Peg |
| Career | |
| College | Palm Beach Junior College |
| Turned professional | 1986 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour European Tour |
| Professional wins | 15 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 5 |
| European Tour | 4 |
| Challenge Tour | 1 |
| Champions Tour | 1 |
| Other | 4 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T20: 2001 |
| U.S. Open | T14: 1998 |
| The Open Championship | 2nd/T2: 1994, 1997 |
| PGA Championship | T5: 1996 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Swedish Golf Tour Order of Merit winner |
1988 |
| Swedish Golfer of the Year | 1999 |
Jesper Bo Parnevik, born on March 7, 1965, is a famous professional golfer from Sweden. He was one of the top 10 golfers in the world for many weeks in 2000 and 2001.
Contents
Jesper Parnevik's Early Life and Golf Journey
Jesper Parnevik was born in Botkyrka, Sweden. He grew up in a town called Åkersberga. His father, Bosse Parnevik, was a well-known entertainer in Sweden.
Combining Studies and Golf
When Jesper was 15, he was part of the first group of students in Sweden to combine school with golf training. This special program was at a sports school near Stockholm. He also spent time in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in the United States. He liked it so much that he later moved to Florida. There, he attended Palm Beach Junior College on a golf scholarship.
Amateur Golf Achievements
Jesper played for Sweden in important amateur golf tournaments. He was part of the Swedish team at the Eisenhower Trophy in 1984 and 1986. In 1985, his team came in second at the European Amateur Team Championship. Jesper even won the individual part of that competition.
Jesper Parnevik's Professional Golf Career
Jesper Parnevik became a professional golfer in 1986. He quickly started winning tournaments.
Early Wins and Breakthroughs
In 1988, he won the Swedish Golf Tour's Order of Merit, which means he was the top player on that tour. His big break came in 1993 when he won the Scottish Open. He beat another famous golfer, Payne Stewart, in that tournament.
Jesper was the first Swedish golfer to win twice on the European Tour in his home country. He won the Scandinavian Masters in 1995 and again in 1998.
Playing on the PGA Tour
Jesper moved to Florida and joined the PGA Tour in the mid-1990s. He won five tournaments on this tour. He also played in the Ryder Cup three times for Europe (in 1997, 1999, and 2002). He finished second twice at The Open Championship, which is a very important golf tournament.
His highest world ranking was seventh in May 2000. This was the highest a Swedish golfer had ever ranked until Henrik Stenson reached the top five in 2007.
Dealing with Injuries
Jesper had some tough times with injuries. In late 2000, he had hip surgery. He had more hip surgery in 2009, which cut short his season. In 2010, he had emergency surgery for a broken bone in his back. These injuries made it hard for him to play golf for several years.
Despite his injuries, Jesper kept trying to play. In 2013, he had a boating accident that injured his right hand.
Comeback on the Champions Tour
When Jesper turned 50 in 2015, he became eligible for the Champions Tour. This tour is for older professional golfers. He made a great comeback in 2016, finishing third at the Chubb Classic. Later that year, he got his first win on the Champions Tour at the Insperity Invitational.
Jesper Parnevik's Unique Style
Jesper Parnevik is famous not just for his golf skills but also for his unique and fun sense of style. He is known for wearing interesting clothes on the golf course.
Fashion and Nickname
One of his trademarks was wearing his baseball cap with the bill turned up. When he played for the European Ryder Cup team, he even got a special cap with the logo on the bottom of the bill so it could be seen when flipped up.
He has also worn straw hats and visors. Jesper likes bright and bold golf clothes, like purple pants. He has even been known to change his outfit halfway through a golf round! In 2006, he started wearing a necktie under a vest. Since 2014, he has worked with Puma Golf and wears a modern version of his flipped-bill hat.
Jesper is also known for eating volcanic dust as a health supplement. His nickname on tour is "Spaceman."
Awards and Personal Life
Jesper Parnevik has received several awards for his contributions to golf.
Awards and Honors
- In 1998, he became an honorary member of the PGA of Sweden.
- He was named the Swedish Golfer of the Year in 1999.
- In 2003, Jesper and two other Swedish teammates from the Ryder Cup were given the Golden Club. This is the highest award for helping Swedish golf.
- In 2023, he was inducted into the Swedish Golf Hall of Fame.
Family and Reality TV
Jesper is married to Mia Parnevik, and they have four children: three daughters and one son. His oldest daughter, Peg Parnevik, is a pop singer. Another daughter, Penny, is married to former ice hockey player Douglas Murray. His son, Phoenix, is named after Jesper's first PGA Tour win at the 1998 Phoenix Open.
Jesper and his family starred in a reality TV show called Parneviks. It aired in Sweden from 2015 to 2018 and showed what their life in Florida was like.
Jesper also made a small appearance in the 2007 comedy movie, Who's Your Caddy.
Jesper is known for introducing his former au pair, Elin Nordegren, to fellow golfer Tiger Woods.
Amateur Wins
- 1985 Swedish Junior Stroke-play Championship
Professional Wins (15)
PGA Tour Wins (5)
- 1998 Phoenix Open
- 1999 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic
- 2000 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
- 2000 GTE Byron Nelson Classic
- 2001 Honda Classic
European Tour Wins (4)
- 1993 Bell's Scottish Open
- 1995 Volvo Scandinavian Masters
- 1996 Trophée Lancôme
- 1998 Volvo Scandinavian Masters
Challenge Tour Wins (1)
- 1990 SI Compaq Open
Swedish Golf Tour Wins (2)
- 1988 Ramlösa Open
- 1988 Odense Open
Other Wins (2)
- 1988 Open Passing Shot (France)
- 1997 Johnnie Walker Super Tour
PGA Tour Champions Wins (1)
- 2016 Insperity Invitational
Team Appearances
Jesper Parnevik has represented Sweden and Europe in many team golf events.
Amateur Teams
- European Boys' Team Championship (Sweden): 1982
- Jacques Léglise Trophy (Continent of Europe): 1982
- European Youths' Team Championship (Sweden): 1984
- Eisenhower Trophy (Sweden): 1984, 1986
- European Amateur Team Championship (Sweden): 1985
- St Andrews Trophy (Continent of Europe): 1986
Professional Teams
- Europcar Cup (Sweden): 1988 (winners)
- Dunhill Cup (Sweden): 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
- World Cup (Sweden): 1994, 1995
- Ryder Cup (Europe): 1997 (winners), 1999, 2002 (winners)
Images for kids
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Jesper Parnevik in April 2007
See also
In Spanish: Jesper Parnevik para niños
