The Loop

Parnevik has no more to say and just wants to play

January 12, 2010

HONOLULU - He seems to know what's going on. But he also seems to not want to know. He definitely doesn't want to talk about what he might know.

You know?

Jesper Parnevik has a busy early-season schedule planned after using his one-time top-50 career earnings exemption to retain PGA Tour playing privileges. He underwent surgery on his right hip in July to be healthy for what is a key season for the five-time PGA Tour winner.

"This is a nice bonus chance for me to get my game back on track," the veteran Swede, 44, said Tuesday at Waialae CC, where he is preparing for the Sony Open in Hawaii. "You certainly want to make the most of the chance you have and play well. I'm going to play every week if I can on the West Coast and get my game in shape that way, and hopefully I can build up some momentum."

To that end, he's hoping he isn't slowed down talking about issues off the golf course - primarily issues pertaining to his former nanny, who is married to the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world.

Parnevik has said all he cares to say about Tiger Woods, whose questionable extracurricular exploits have been tabloid fodder for more than a month. Woods is married to fellow Swede Elin Nordegren, who used to work for Parnevik and his wife, Mia in Jupiter, Fla. The couple introduced Nordegren to Woods in 2001.

The five-time tour winner was outspoken in his criticism of Woods when stories of his admitted infidelities began to pile up.

Woods subsequently announced that he was leaving the tour indefinitely, and he's dropped out of sight. He has not been seen in public since he crashed his SUV on Thanksgiving night, an accident that brought his "transgressions" to light.

Predictably, Parnevik was in strong demand in the aftermath, speaking critically of Woods in December at the PGA Tour's Qualifying Tournament at Bear Lakes GC in Palm Beach, Fla., and in interviews for ESPN's "Outside The Lines" investigative news program in which he admitted being "wrong" about Woods.

"I vouched for the guy," Parnevik told ESPN. "I told her this is the guy that I think is everything you want. He's true. He's honest. He has great values. He has everything you would want in a guy. And, uhh, I was wrong."

In recent weeks, though, Parnevik, who finished outside the top 125 on the tour money list the last two years, has been able to concentrate on his golf game.

"It's been pretty quiet for a while now, at least the last few weeks. I was chased pretty hard there at the start," he said while standing outside the clubhouse at Waialae CC. "For my sake I would say it's run its course. I'm hoping it stays that way. I want to concentrate on my game."

Asked whether he or his wife have been in contact with Elin Woods, Parnevik said they have purposely kept their distance. "We have decided to not be in contact as much until they go official with what's going on," he said. "We feel that's just the best way to go for right now. But it's tough, especially when you know what's going on and when you hear all the rumors. That's been tough, knowing what's true and what's not."

So, he does seem to know something. But what that is, well, he's leaving that up to Elin and Tiger, as he should.

"It's better for them to come out and say what they need to say," Parnevik said. "I really don't have much more to add."

-- Dave Shedloski