UNF’s Danny Erickson tops future teammate Luke Balaskiewcz in JAGA Amateur

Future University of North Florida teammates both post 67 on a torrid day at Timuquana

• Danny Erickson won the 64th Jacksonville Amateur Championship by four strokes, becoming the 11th UNF golfer to win the event since 2002.
• Erickson, a UNF sophomore, finished with a 54-hole score of 11-under 205 at Timuquana Country Club.
• Luke Balaskiewicz, who will join Erickson at UNF in the fall, finished second at 7-under 209.

Danny Erickson wasn’t overly concerned with being chased down on the back nine of the 64th Jacksonville Amateur Championship’s third round on July 26 at the Timuquana Country Club. 

That’s because a hot start with a hot putter led to a seven-shot lead at one point and Erickson sailed home to a four-shot victory over hard-changing Luke Balaskiewicz to become the 11th member of the University of North Florida golf program to win the First Coast’s top amateur event since 2002. 

Erickson, a Ponte Vedra Beach High graduate and a sophomore at UNF, birdied four holes on the front nine, and offset a double-bogey at the par-4 14^th hole with short birdie putts at the par-5 12^th and 15^th holes to post a closing 67 and a 54-hole score of 11-under-par 205. 

Danny Erickson and Luke Balaskewicz will become UNF teammates 

Balaskiewicz, who will join Erickson at UNF this fall, had no less a masterful round under brutally hot and windless conditions. The Bolles graduate from Jacksonville birdied three of his first five holes, then birdied five of his first six on the back nine in a relentless effort to chase down his future teammate. 

But bogeys at Nos. 9, 13 and 17 interrupted his momentum, and Balaskiewicz matched Erickson’s 67 on a day when he would have needed a 62 to win.  

Balaskiewicz finished 7-under 209, followed by Colton Swartz (69) of Fleming Island at 6-under, Lance LaCombe of Fleming Island (68) at 4-under, UNF assistant golf coach Tyler Gulliksen (68) at 3-under and Andrew Morris of St. Augustine (71) at 2-under. 

Danny Erickson dropped three long putts 

Players are allowed to check scores at the Jacksonville Area Golf Association website during play but Erickson said he didn’t distract himself in the third round. 

“I did a little the first two days [when he built a three-shot lead] but not today,” he said. “I got off to a pretty good start. I wasn’t just trying to make pars, I was trying to play the same way [as his first two rounds, 70-68]. I wasn’t trying to be too aggressive. I just hit it really good.” 

Erickson also putted lights-out on the slick Timuquana greens. His first birdie putt at No. 2 traveled 35 feet to the hole. He then rattled one in at No. 3 from 25 feet before a pair of short birdie putts at Nos. 6 and 7. 

After a two-putt birdie at the par-5 12^th, Erickson delivered what might have been the deciding blow: a 20-footer from the back of the 13^th green, downhill to a front hole placement, that hit the back up the cup. 

It came just after Balaskiewicz missed a 4-foot par attempt at No. 13 and gave Erickson a six-shot lead. 

Luke Balaskiewicz rallies once more 

But it still wasn’t over. Balaskiewicz, who has competitive rounds of 61 at the University of Georgia and 62 at Jacksonville Beach on his resume, made a 6-foot birdie putt at No. 14 and a 20-footer for birdiee at No. 16. While that was going on, Erickson was making a mess of the 14^th, with an errant drive to the right, two pitches to reach the green, and three putts for a double bogey. 

The lead was now down to two shots. 

However, Erickson attacked the par-5 15^th, two-putted for birdie from 60 feet, and parred out from there. Balaskiewicz bogeyed No. 17 after an errant drive to end his hopes

Danny Erickson finally has a trophy 

And if Balaskiewicz did turn in that special round, Erickson would have had a “so be it” reaction and said he’s looking forward to September when he will play with Erickson instead of against him for the Ospreys. 

“I can’t wait,” he said. “It was a lot of fun playing with Luke [in the second round]. He’s really good.” 

Erickson, who has been a part of state championship teams at Ponte Vedra and an NCAA tournament team at UNF, said it was his first tournament victory since the eighth grade, when he won a North Florida Junior Golf Foundation event at the St. Johns Golf Club. 

“It’s been too long,” he said in the Timuquana clubhouse, cradling the championship trophy that will be put on display in the UNF golf team room for the next year. “It’s nice to win something.” 

Balaskiewicz said he will keep pursuing his hometown’s amateur championship. He’s tied for third and finished solo second in the last two years. 

“I’m going to keep playing in them and keep trying to give myself chances,” he said. “It’s all I can do. I knew Danny was playing well and 67 wasn’t good enough.” 

JAGA Amateur winners from the University of North Florida 

• 2025: Danny Erickson, Timuquana Country Club 
• 2022: Jason Duff, Deerwood Country Club 
• 2020: Cody Carroll, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club 
• 2019: Jordan Batchelor, Sawgrass Country Club 
• 2015: Andrew Alligood, San Jose Country Club 
• 2014: Travis Trace, Marsh Landing Country Club 
• 2011: Sean Dale, Ponte Vedra Inn and Club 
• 2010: Major Forbess, Jacksonville Golf and Country Club 
• 2007: Michael O’Neal, Deerwood, Marsh Landing 
• 2003: Michael Young, Deerwood, Deercreek 
• 2002: Steve Carter, Deerwood, Deercreek