Jonathan Ericsson – All in

Jonathan Ericsson doesn’t hedge his words. He wants to be the best in the world in one of the planet’s most unforgiving sports — a sport where a single mis‑hit can mean the difference between failure and success. And if the mind falters on the day when everything is on the line, the consequences can last a lifetime. Exactly when he reaches the top is of secondary importance. That the road there is long and demanding doesn’t concern him.

“My long‑term goal is to make it onto the PGA Tour. And if I were ever to win the Masters and put on the green jacket, that would be the crème de la crème,” says the tall young golfer from Skåne, before adding:

“There’s nothing wrong with aiming high. If you set your goals too low and reach them early, there’s nothing left to work towards. The dream of playing the Masters is still a long way off, and I know there are many others chasing the same thing. That just means you have to keep putting in the work.”

It’s Tuesday, and golf‑related activities fill the schedule for Jonathan and his classmates in their third year of the golf programme at Sundsgymnasiet in Höllviken. The Ericsson family home is exactly seven minutes from Ljunghusen Golf Club, ranked among Sweden’s top 20 courses. It has been Jonathan’s second home since a football tournament in sixth grade, when he broke his arm and, during recovery, decided to commit fully to golf. Five years later, he made his debut for the junior national team. This summer, he was part of the Swedish team that claimed European Championship gold after a tense final against France—settled only on the second playoff hole in the very last singles match.

“Those are exactly the situations you want to be in—as often as possible—because it’s the only way to learn how to control your nerves and perform when it really matters,” Jonathan explains. He wasn’t the one to sink the final putt himself, but he was a vital part of the team effort.

A solid amount of training doesn’t hurt either. When it comes to golf, the facilities in the Municipality of Vellinge are hard to beat. Five high‑quality courses, experienced coaches, and Sundsgymnasiet’s golf programme all give admitted students the best possible conditions to reach their goals.

“Many of the players I compete against are from Stockholm, where they’re forced to train indoors all winter. Down here, I can usually play golf year‑round—and at a really good level two or three weeks earlier than they can, which of course gives me a big advantage. On top of that, I’m only minutes away from training with my own coaches and friends who are aiming high as well. That creates an environment that really supports my development.”

Over the past three years, Jonathan Ericsson’s annual golf workload—including both training and competition—has amounted to a modest 1,200–1,300 hours, averaging around three and a half hours a day.

“Because Jonathan earned a place on the national team early on during his upper‑secondary years, he has spent considerable time abroad competing and attending training camps with the Swedish Golf Team. Keeping up with missed schoolwork requires a great deal of planning and logistics—but above all, self‑discipline. Jonathan has excelled both on the golf course and in the classroom. I look forward to following his continued success at college in the United States,” says Per Johansson, Head of Education for the Golf Programme at Sundsgymnasiet.

Upstairs, in the bedroom of a teenage boy, every expectation and stereotype of a high‑performing 18‑year‑old is fulfilled. At the foot of the neatly made bed stand two guitars—one electric, one acoustic. On the shelf behind them, trophies and awards share space with stacks of golf‑ball boxes and three (!) unsolved Rubik’s cubes. On the floor by the corner sofa lie a barbell and a pair of dumbbells; on the small table beside it, a racing wheel for video games. By the window, in front of the desk, a gaming chair is parked next to a silvery synthesiser.

“I listen to a lot of music—everything from classical to heavy metal—and it’s fun to be able to play a bit too. Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton and Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters are two favourites on guitar, and on the synth it’s mostly instrumental stuff. Mum used to be a pianist and keeps nagging me to learn how to read sheet music, but I refuse. I watch YouTube clips and learn everything by heart instead.”

That sense of determination has paid off both on the golf course and in the classroom—and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. This autumn, Jonathan will move to the United States to study economics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. First and foremost, he was admitted on his golf merits, but strong grades have also earned him both an Athletic Scholarship and an Academic Scholarship.

“You’re called a Student‑Athlete, in that order,” he says. “If you don’t keep your grades up, you’re not allowed to compete—just like here at Sundsgymnasiet. Many of the best players in the world my age go to the US to play college golf, so the competition will be tough. At the same time, a lot will be new—grass types, language, environment—so it will probably take some time to adjust. But I love golf, and I don’t mind studying, so I see it as a great adventure.”

And Ljunghusen will always be there.

“Yes—if it doesn’t work out over there, I can always move back home to Mum and Dad and keep working from here. But I think it’ll be fine. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll finish college when I’m 22 or 23, and then I’ll try to make it onto a tour. The dream would be to qualify directly for the PGA Tour, but that’s very difficult. So the alternatives are trying one of the US feeder tours, or heading back to Sweden and working my way onto the European Tour, playing there for a few years to build experience—and hopefully reaching the PGA Tour when I’m around 27.”