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The King Is Dead

© Bill Howard

The king is dead, long live the king. You heard it here first, Jesper Parnevik will be the dominant player on tour this year. He'll also win a major. If you follow men's professional golf, you know who he is. Jesper's name pops up on the leader board with alarming frequency. He has made a good deal of money over the last three years. He's won three times. He's a better player than most golf fans realize.

I am well aware that I'm crawling a long way out on a very unsteady limb. No problem, been here before, the fall won't kill you. Bruise you, yes, but it won't kill you.

Let me explain why I'm going on record as picking Jesper to light it up this year.

Jesper has the most fundamentally sound swing on the Tour. It happens fast in a Nick Price sort of way so look hard. His move is simple, powerful, efficient, and without flourish. A fundamentally sound swing gives a player several advantages. He is far less dependent on timing, and his swing will hold up under pressure. Flawed swings, which rely heavily on good timing to compensate for their deficiencies, deteriorate when the going gets tough.

Fundamentally sound swings strike the golf ball more solidly. This is a staggering advantage when the wind blows ( think British Open). It's a subtle edge over the year long tour calendar. Fewer really ugly shots...a few feet closer to the hole... all that adds up if you're playing 30 - 40 events in a year.

Jesper has played well in the early part of the previous two years. He just didn't get a win. This year is different. I think the early win propels him to a dominant year. He's a great player ready to blossom, and the circumstances are right.

Jesper doesn't take golf too seriously. He appreciates the absurdity of it all. How else would you explain the hat?

My friends and family are very tired of hearing me singing Jesper's praises. If they're lucky, writing this will get it out of my system. Then it'll be on to the Craig Stadler Revival Project.

How about your bold prediction? Got the guts to make one? E-mail it, start a discussion about it, shout it from your rooftop. This tree has plenty of limbs.