It’s no secret that several big-timers on the Concordia Lutheran campus go on to have impressive careers at the collegiate level, with some of the truly exceptional taking it one step further.
The latest ‘Sader Nation’s alumnus to bring their talents to the elite stage is none other than 2015 graduate Austen “Ace” Christiansen, who recently made his professional golf debut for the PGA Tour Canada.
After graduating from CLHS, Christiansen attended BYU for two years, before transferring to Sam Houston State University for the remainder of his college career. He was a fixture in NCAA Tournaments throughout his college career, and ultimately qualified for the Canadian PGA Tour.
His journey to this point didn’t always come easy, but nothing worthwhile ever does.
“The love for the game and the chase to get my PGA Tour card has kept me in it for so long,” said Christiansen. “It’s been my dream ever since I was a kid to play on the big stage. However, about a month after I turned pro (2019), I shattered my leg in a dirt bike accident and that had me out of golf for about a year for rehab. There was a period where I lost some love for the game after returning so I decided to hang up the clubs for a little while. After about six months, I got the itch again and decided to dedicate myself to the game, 100-percent.”
After finally making it to the Canada Q School, Christiansen was given the opportunity to reflect on his path, thus far.
“Playing Division I golf was a dream come true,” he said. “Going from Concordia, to two great universities (BYU and Sam Houston), was a pretty cool experience for me. Ever since my eligibility has been up, I’ve just been grinding to get status on one of the PGA sanctioned tours. After missing out on the Korn Q School twice and the Canada Q School once, it feels really good to lock up guaranteed starts this year, and have a place to play this summer in Canada.”
However, this is only the beginning for Christiansen.
“Being on the PGA Tour Canada makes my dream of being on the American PGA Tour a little more clear now,” Christiansen said. “It opens up some doors that were shut when I didn’t have status anywhere, and it’s just one step closer to getting the opportunity to compete week in and week out with the best in the world.”
Starting out at Concordia Lutheran, where he was a dual-sport athlete, Christiansen is well on his way to prime time.
“CLHS taught me a lot,” he said. “Balancing both golf and football at a high level prepared me for the journey I’m on now. Since it’s not easy traveling and playing every week that means you need to be mentally and physically strong. While at Concordia, I played a lot of tournaments with Will Zalatoris who is one of the best players in the PGA Tour right now, which gives me the extra motivation to be out there competing with him. Also, it’s really cool to still have great support from the teachers and coaches at Concordia, who I still keep in touch with. It’s nice to know I still have a family with them there.”