Parnevik rejoins European Tour

Jesper Parnevik has rejoined the European Tour and will be eligible for Ryder Cup selection, but he does not sound particularly happy about it.

“I still think the policy is wrong,” Parnevik said.

Parnevik was referring to the rule that requires players to contest 11 European Tour events to be eligible for a Ryder Cup selection.

Last month, the Swede resigned his tour membership, because he was unwilling to meet the 11-event requirement, but he subsequently discovered that the US and British Open qualifiers would count towards that number.

Parnevik previously was under the impression he would be banned from the tour for two years if he did not play the 11 events.

“The penalty has gone and that is what made my mind up,” said Parnevik, who shot a 75 in the first round at The Memorial.

“I don’t know what I am going to do schedule wise, but I am going to give it my best effort, whatever that means,” Parnevik said.

Parnevik said he had not been contacted by anyone at the European Tour in recent weeks. He had heard everything through Langer, which might strike some as strange considering his tour membership is at stake.

Unless he fires up over the next couple of months, Parnevik is unlikely to win automatic selection, but the three-time Ryder Cup member will likely come under consideration for one of Langer’s two captain’s picks.

“Bernhard wants the broadest selection of players available,” added Parnevik.

“I have got to play well to qualify.”

And Parnevik thinks the captain should pick all 12 team members, not just two.

“12 picks would be the easiest way to do it,” Parnevik said. “That is the way they do it in other sports.”

Parnevik has a solid Ryder Cup record of four wins, four halves and three losses.

Europe will defend the Ryder Cup against the Americans at Oakland Hills near Detroit in September.