BRITISH OPEN NOTES : Swede Doesn’t Turn Up His Nose at Foes

Players have been imitating Jack Nicklaus for years, from the head tilt, to the pulling of the shirt, to the stylish swagger. It’s a miracle nobody bleached his hair in honor of Nicklaus.

But now, a rare reversal. After watching Jesper Parnevik move into a two-way tie for second place (68-66), playing partner Nicklaus imitated the Swede.

The logic: If it worked for Parnevik . . .

Parnevik wears his golf cap with the bill turned up, as if he were pedaling in the Tour de France. It looks goofy, but you might see a wave of reversed bills if Parnevik, 29, stays on the leader board.

“I’ll play this way tomorrow,” said Nicklaus, his visor turned upward as he posed with Parnevik after Friday’s round. “This is my new hat.”

Tomorrow will have to wait. His two-day total of 145 (72-73) was two shots higher than the cut.

Still, he can watch Parnevik, who is a good friend of Nicklaus’ son, Gary. Parnevik, who played one year at Palm Beach Community College in Florida, has been to the Nicklaus house on several occasions. Even the Golden Bear has monitored the Swede’s progress.

“If I would have been putting like him, I’d be with him (on the leader board),” Nicklaus said.

Parnevik was living the good life Friday. If he was intimidated by Nicklaus, he didn’t show it. If anything, his familiarity with Nicklaus might have helped.

“It was just one of those days you dreamt about: leading the British Open and playing with Jack Nicklaus,” Parnevik said.

At the time of his interview, Parnevik was in first place. But he also predicted that Tom Watson would be eight-under at the end of his round. He was off by a stroke.

Parnevik, who says he can putt better with the cap bill turned up, played on the U.S. tour this year. His best finish was a tie for ninth at the Heritage.

His real claim to fame is that his father, Bo, does impersonations.

“Mostly politicians,” Parnevik said. “He does a lot of American presidents, famous personalities. Nixon, he did very well. Reagan, he also did very well. Columbo, he did very well.”

*

John Daly followed his Thursday 68 with a two-over-par 72. Known as “Wild Thing” by the London tabloids, Daly threw a mini-fit on the back nine Friday.

After shooting 32 on the front, he hooked his drive on No. 10. A couple of hundred spectators and assorted marshals were unable to find his ball on the par-four.

He had a seven there.

On No. 11, a 177-yard par-three, Daly landed his tee shot on the back of the green and proceeded to four-putt. His last miss was a one-footer that he all but whacked on the run.

That’s five strokes lost in two holes.

*

Mark Brooks came within one stroke of the British Open record of 63. His 64 moved him from four over on Thursday to two under heading into today’s round.

But it could have been better.

“I was disappointed at the 17th hole, where I hit a bad drive and chopped it into the left rough,” Brooks said of his par on the 498-yard par-five, the course’s easiest hole.

*

Prominent players who missed the cut: Nicklaus, Gary Player, 145; Scott Simpson, 146; Payne Stewart, 148; former British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch, 150; Chip Beck and Corey Pavin, 151, and former Masters champion Ian Woosnam, 152.