Lance Christensen Jr.’s belief in himself carried him to an NCAA Division II national runner-up finish.

The Little Wound High School graduate captured national runner-up honors at the NCAA Division II men’s golf championships on May 20 in Boulder Canyon, Colorado, earning All-American status in the process.

For the Colorado Christian University senior, it marked the culmination of a long journey from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to the brink of a national championship.

“It’s the stuff you work for your whole life, especially a guy like me,” Christensen Jr. said. “You have crazy aspirations coming from less than ideal circumstances. But you still dream that way. Every kid dreams no matter what. But I just held onto it. I didn’t ever let that go. Even when other people didn’t believe in it. I was still believing in it.” 

Christensen Jr. secured the national runner-up finish with a 13-under par, finishing four shots behind first-place finisher Octavio Laurent of the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

On the final day, Christensen Jr. began the day tied for eighth place and stormed back with an 8-under par 64 round. He shot a 33 on the front nine and a 31 on the back nine. The bogey-free round included two birdies and three eagles. 

Christensen Jr.’s par putt on the 18th hole propelled the Cougars into match play and left him overcome with emotion.

“That was one of the biggest putts of my life, honestly,” Christensen Jr. said. “With just the momentum of it. The energy. It was just a perfect putt, and I drained it, and the crowd went crazy.” 

The monster round and clutch par putt also validated Christensen Jr.’s belief in himself.

“It was happening right in front of my eyes and it was almost like I manifested it so hard that it didn’t ever feel once uncomfortable or like I didn’t belong,” Christensen Jr., 23, said. “I just knew that I was capable of doing it. I just needed to put myself in the situation. Once I made that final putt, the emotions kind of came rushing through and just all the hard work. Now I am an All-American.”

Christensen Jr. then reflected on the past year, and thought back to “one of the worst days that I have ever had.”

On May 20, 2025, Christensen Jr. suffered a freak accident that ruptured his hamstring tendons. Exactly one year later, nearly to the minute, he capped his comeback by earning national runner-up honors.

He commemorated the moment with a social media post, reflecting on the remarkable coincidence and the journey that connected the two dates.

“One year ago today, May 20 at 4:00 p.m., I tore my hamstring and that was the worst day of my life,” Christensen Jr. wrote. “Today, May 20 at 4:00 p.m., I am an NCAA national runner-up and an All-American. ... You never know where hard work will get you. I promise you it leads to better places.”

For Christensen Jr., the road to golf success literally started on the road. Growing up in Kyle, South Dakota, a town of about 1,000 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he often had to travel significant distances just to reach a golf course and practice.

His dedication paid off in 2019 when Christensen Jr. captured the South Dakota Class A boys state golf championship, becoming the first golfer from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to win a state title.

Christensen Jr., who began his college career at Division I New Mexico State University, was set to join a different golf program after the 2024-25 season. But the proximal hamstring tear injury ruptured all three of his tendons off the bone. It also limited his college opportunities, and Christensen Jr. was ready to take the semester off to focus on his recovery.

He stayed locked into his rehab and was determined to beat the 4-to-6 month recovery timeframe. Christensen Jr. worked on his golf game, but minimized movement on the right side of his body and only swung on the left side.

With fall 2025 fast approaching, Christensen Jr. was still searching for a place to continue his golf career. Everything changed when Colorado Christian University head coach Cameron Sandland reached out. Two days later, he toured the Lakewood campus, committed soon after and was teeing it up for the Cougars by September.

In addition to his national runner-up finish, Christensen Jr. earned all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference second-team honors. He earned six top-20 finishes, tallied a scoring average of 72.5 and was named an NCAA Division II Ping Honorable Mention All-American on June 12. 

Throughout the past year, Christensen Jr. kept telling himself the injury happened for a reason, and on May 20, everything came full circle.

“This happened for a reason,” said Christensen Jr., reflecting on the past year. “I don’t know why. I don’t know what, and then you get to a 360 of it. You are on the other end of a year that came with so many ups and downs. But also so much great and so much learning about yourself and where you come from, who you are as a person, and then you get on the other end of it. I am just nothing but grateful.”

Now, Christensen Jr. will continue his pursuit of playing professional golf, while also serving as a golf ambassador. Christensen sponsors camps and tournaments through his Driven Brand, motivating kids to reach their goals in life. 

As for professional golf, Christensen Jr. said “I am using this runner-up finish and All-American status to my advantage and see if I got what it takes on the next level.”

Next comes the mini-tour circuit, where Christensen Jr. will seek sponsorships and continue pursuing his goal of playing professional golf — fueled by the same belief in himself that helped carry him to the national stage.

“Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from believing in yourself,” Christensen Jr. said. “The biggest thing I have learned this year is if you can believe in yourself and believe that the Creator has a plan for you and trusting that — and living in a good way — then you are going to knock down a lot of doors and see a lot of beautiful things.”