Scandinavian Masters: Parnevik has Belfry on his mind

Jesper Parnevik believes he will have to win the USPGA Championship to have any chance of qualifying automatically for the Ryder Cup.

Parnevik was today chasing his third win in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters in his home country, but he knows even victory on Sunday would only move him into the lower reaches of the top 20 in the points standings.

Only the top 10 after the BMW International Open in a month’s time qualify automatically for the European team which will attempt to regain the trophy from the United States at the Belfry - and Parnevik currently lies only 38th.

Although the Swede knows he is hot favourite for one of Sam Torrance’s two wild cards, he would prefer to leave nothing to chance by winning the final major of the season at Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia in two weeks’ time.

‘‘It’s comforting to know that about the wild cards, but I would rather get in on my own and qualify automatically,’’ said Parnevik, who won here at Barseback in 1995 and again at Kunsangen in Stockholm three years ago.

‘‘My only realistic chance is to win the USPGA and I’m playing well enough to do that.’’

Such confidence comes from his performance in The Open at Royal Lytham, where he challenged strongly only to falter in the final round, a bogey on the last hole costing him a share of third place.

Parnevik tees off today in the company of the past two winners of the event in Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie, with Westwood feeling he could finally be emerging from a self-imposed ‘‘comfort zone’’ as he defends his title.

Westwood has failed to produce a repeat of last season’s stunning form when he collected seven tournament wins worldwide on the way to ending Montgomerie’s seven-year reign as European number one.

The 28-year-old from Worksop has already failed to successfully defend three of his five European Tour titles this season, including shooting an 81 in the Great North Open at Slaley Hall.

The world number nine has missed the cut in four of his last six events and did so by nine shots last week, finishing joint 144th of 156 starters in the Dutch Open.

The long break he took around the birth of his first child Samuel in April, and moving to a new house, have been widely blamed for a slump in form that will be worrying Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance with The Belfry showdown now less than two months away.

And Westwood conceded he has been his own worst enemy on the course, with a bad attitude contributing to the problems caused by making adjustments to his swing.

‘‘It’s very, very easy to be positive when things are going right, but not so easy when things aren’t going right,’’ said Westwood, who led from start to finish after an opening 63 last year.

‘‘Taking a break was great because it enabled me to sit back and look at the last four years and enjoy the wins, but I also got into a comfort zone almost, where I thought this is pretty much how I hoped life would turn out.

‘‘It got to a point where it’s difficult to focus on golf and make it the number one priority.

‘‘It gets to the stage where you want the normal things in life. You don’t want to be spotted here, there and everywhere and want a bit of anonymity I suppose.

‘‘You have to realise what’s wrong and be prepared to help yourself,’’ he added.

‘‘Over the last couple of months I’ve probably been my own worst enemy and stopped myself from making progress by having a bad attitude.

‘‘Once you can put your finger on that, you have half a chance. No matter what anyone else says to help me, it’s not going to work until I want to help myself.’’