An officer and a golfer: UNF Ospreys welcome Navy veteran Tyler Gulliksen to the golf staff

Posted by Admin October 19, 2024 Golf

The University of North Florida has a new assistant golf coach, who is a decorated golfer and serviceman.

Tyler Gulliksen was named to the UNF staff this week, completing a reorganization of the men’s and women’s programs under director of golf Scott Schroeder. Gulliksen will work primarily with the men’s team.

Schroeder, who was the men’s coach for 18 years, oversees both teams, with former UNF player Courtney Cobb serving as the associate head coach for the women’s team. Another former Osprey player, Michael Mattiace is on the staff as an assistant for both teams.

Gulliksen is a native of Ormond Beach and was a volunteer assistant for three years under former PGA Tour player Chris Riley at the University of San Diego. Gulliksen is a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree from USD. He spent more than 12 years in the Naval Special Operations Community as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Gullikesen completed multiple tours to the Middle East and North Africa as part of the U.S. Global War on Terrorism.

Gulliksen won the 2024 Florida State Golf Association Fourball with Ty Capps, was the runner-up to Jimmy Ellis of Atlantic Beach in the Florida Amateur, and reached the semifinals of the FSGA Mid-Amateur.

He and Capps have also won the last two FSGA Two-Man and Foursomes Championships for a total of five FSGA titles.

“He still plays at a very high level in the state [amateur] game, so he brings a bunch of great attributes to the program,” Schroeder said in a statement.

Ponte Vedra Club, Omni Amelia ranked high

The Conde Nast Travelers Reader’s Choice Awards resulted in high marks for two First Coast resorts.

The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club was ranked the No. 2 resort in Florida and the Omni Amelia Resort was No. 4. The rankings were based on more than 500,0000 votes cast by travelers and compiled by Conde Nast.

The Ponte Vedra Club was opened in 1928. The Ocean Course, among other guest rooms and facilities, will undergo renovation projects that will coincide with the resort’s 100th anniversary. Herb Strong originally designed the Ocean Course and Robert Trent Jones and Joe Lee designed the Lagoon Course. Bobby Weed has done subsequent renovations on both courses.

The Omni Amelia Resort opened in 1971. Its Pete Dye-designed Oak Marsh Course is scheduled to re-open Nov. 1 after renovation. The resort also operates Long Point, designed by Tom Fazio and the nine-hole Little Sandy Course, designed by Beau Welling.

Aces high in four decades

Tama Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach reached a milestone in her amateur golf career.

Caldabaugh, a four-time winner of the First Coast Women’s Amateur senior division, made a hole-in-one on Thursday in a Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association tournament at the Golf Club of Amelia. She used a pitching wedge to ace the fifth hole, from 98 yards out.

That gives Caldabaugh a hole-in-one in each of the last four decades, in her 30s, 40s, 50s and now her 60s. She shot 73 to win the tournament’s gross division.

Caldabaugh has six total aces. Her most memorable one remains at the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur when she aced the 14th hole of the Hillwood Country Club in Nashville to go dormie in her match. She then birdied the next hole to win. Her husband K.C. Caldabaugh was her caddie that week.

Luke Balaskiewicz commits to UNF

Bolles senior Luke Balaskiewicz has verbally committed to play golf at UNF according to his Instagram posting. Balaskiewicz is currently ranked seventh among Class 1A FHSAA players in 9-hole matches and 18-hole events and is 14th overall in the state in 9-hole and 17th in 18-hole. … Jackson Runquist shot 3-under 68 at the Jacksonville Beach Golf Club to lead Fletcher’s boys to the Gateway Conference Championship at 12-over 284, 30 shots over runner-up Sandalwood. Atlantic Coast was third, seven behind the Saints. Jackson Sullivan of Sandalwood (70) was second, Josef Reed of Paxon (72) was third and Cole Slater of Fletcher (73) was fourth. … Cooper Franklin of Ponte Vedra birdied three of his last five holes for a final-round 67 at Lakewood National Piper Course and won the FJT Tour Championship 16-18 division by three shots at 7-under 209. Ryan Nicholson of St. Augustine (216) and Balaskiewicz (217 tied for sixth. Jaspreet Kondal of St. Augustine (220) tied for fourth in the 13-15 boys division and Sofia Rivera of St. Augustine (223) tied for sixth in the girls 13-15 division.