The reality is: Parnevik’s glad to be playing golf
BOCA RATON — Jesper Parnevik admitted that his golf game is a little rusty as he prepares to play in this week’s Allianz Championship.
“It’s been a very hectic last four months for me,” said Parnevik, who turned 50 in March and is making his debut in the Champions Tour event at the Old Course at Broken Sound. He last played in a senior tournament on Nov. 1.
“I’ve played like four rounds since then.”
For about two months, the Jupiter resident was busy taping the second season of his family’s reality TV show, “The Parneviks,” which is a monster hit in his native Sweden.
After having Swedish politicians, movie stars, rock stars and athletes stay with him and his wife, Mia, and their four children at their home for four days at a time while the cameras rolled, it was time for their relatives to visit.
“The same day as the camera crew and all that left, my family from Sweden moved in,” Parnevik said. “So we were about 80 people for Christmas Eve. They stayed for a month. And three days ago my wife’s family moved in. It’s just 10 of them, but still. So I’m happy to be back on tour.”
Parnevik and his family taped 10 hourlong episodes for the second season, which premiered Tuesday in Sweden and was well-received. Last year’s show won two Swedish Emmys.
“The Parneviks” is a bigger hit in Sweden than “Duck Dynasty” is in the United States. Parnevik said the show is more like “Feherty” on Golf Channel, because viewers get to see a different side of celebrities as they interact with the golfer and his wife and kids.
“It seems like the guests relax a lot and they become themselves,” Parnevik said. “They usually start talking about deeper things that they neverwould talk about otherwise, and the viewer gets to know them on a completely different level.”
Parnevik pointed to Tuesday’s episode with 6-foot-4 MMA heavyweight Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson.
“Spending four days with someone, you get to know them, and he was a complete teddy bear,” Parnevik said.
Even more rewarding is that the show, which is in Swedish in case youwant to check it out on TV3 or online, resonates with all ages.
“Kids today only watch TV on the Web,” Parnevik said. “So the best thing happening is families in Sweden
for the first time in 15 years are sitting down and watching TV together, from the kids up to the grandmother.”
Parnevik, who had turned down other TV offers before accepting this one, never expected to have a reality show, nor did he expect it to be so successful.
Likewise, he never expected to be playing on the PGA Tour Champions when he turned 50.
“I actually told my friends, ‘If you ever see me on the Champions Tour, slap me.’ But I love it,” said Parnevik, who had two top-10s in 16 events last year. “It was just one of those things when you’re younger, you think, I’m not going to keep playing, not 20 years.
“When I was about to start on the Champions Tour last year, I heard so much good about it, but it’s exceeded all my expectations. They run it just like the PGA Tour. The only difference is maybe that the guys have more fun out there, including myself.”
Cespedes playing
New York Mets outfielder and avid golfer Yoenis Cespedes will play in Thursday’s Pro-Am with three other amateurs and pro Scott Dunlap. They tee off on the 18th hole in the shotgun event at about 7:25 a.m. Admission is free on Thursday.
Parry’s debut
Australian Craig Parry, who turned 50 on Jan. 12, has prepped for his Champions debut by playing 63 holes at the Old Course, including Wednesday afternoon’s Pro-Am.
“It’s a fantastic golf course,” said Parry, of Sydney. “They really are some of the best greens you putt on anywhere in theworld.”