Michael Lev: Arizona’s Tiger (Christensen) determined to make a name for himself in golf

The first thing you should know about Arizona golf star Tiger Christensen is that he isn’t named after Tiger Woods — well, not entirely.

“My parents didn’t know what to name me, but they definitely didn’t want a very common name,” said Christensen, a junior from Hamburg, Germany. “My dad was a fan of Tiger Woods. ... He obviously knew who he was. But my dad also had a buddy who was a boxer, and his nickname was ‘Tiger.’ ”

The former boxer is Dariusz Michalczewski of Poland. He fought from 1991-2005 and held multiple world championship belts. He defected to Germany in 1988 and became a citizen in ’91.

This was not a case of crazed parents determined to build Tiger Woods 2.0. It’s more like a cool coincidence that Tiger Christensen took a liking to golf and became really good at it.

Christensen doesn’t feel any added pressure just because his name is Tiger. He’s an admirer, no doubt. He enjoys watching old-school Tiger Woods videos and was coming of age when Woods won the Masters in 2019.

“Even if you say you’re not a Tiger Woods fan,” Christensen said, “you’re a Tiger Woods fan.”

But as far as the name goes?

“I don’t really think about it,” said Christensen, part of the UA squad participating in the 18-team, 54-hole N.I.T. event Monday and Tuesday at Omni Tucson National Resort. “It’s just my name. ... I make my own achievements.”

Besides, as Christensen noted, “His real name’s not even Tiger.”

Take that, Eldrick.

• • • 

The second thing you should know about Tiger Christensen is that his parents are famous musicians in their home country.

Alex Christensen is a producer, composer and DJ who was one of the founding members of U96, which produced multiple techno albums that ascended the charts in Europe in the 1990s. He later took on the persona of “Jasper Forks” and now goes by “Alex C.” He currently collaborates with the Berlin Orchestra.

Tiger’s mother is Nicole Safft, who had several songs crack the European charts in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was known professionally as “Rollergirl.” Her last hit came out in 2002. Tiger was born in ’03.

Although success in music and golf are measured differently — one is completely subjective; the other has a scorecard — Tiger took a lot from his parents’ life in the limelight.

“I definitely enjoy being in the spotlight,” Tiger said. “I don’t shy away from it. ... I think that’s a good thing.”

In his line of work, it most definitely is.

Unlike so many golfing prodigies, Tiger didn’t learn the game from his dad. But Alex has served as something of a mental coach for Tiger.

“Music’s hard too,” Tiger said. “He’s come from nothing and worked his way up, so he knows how it is and how the ups and downs go. I learned a lot from that.”

• • • 

The third thing you should know about Tiger Christensen is that he hasn’t been all golf, all the time.

As a kid, Christensen participated in other sports, such as soccer and skiing. It wasn’t until he was 11 or 12 years old that golf became his No. 1 pastime.

He placed fifth at the European Championships for 12-year-old boys in 2016 and sixth in the World Championships that same year. He became the top German golfer in his age group as a teenager. He contended in events all over the world.

“I was like, ‘OK, I can compete at my age level on this world stage,’ ” Christensen said.

Although golf is mostly an individual endeavor, Christensen’s roots in team sports and his participation in team events on behalf of Germany have made him a model teammate.

“The team is very important for him,” Wildcats coach Jim Anderson said. “Just being a member of a team, understanding what kind of sacrifice goes into it, where you have to make concessions — you don’t get to do it your way all the time. Those types of lessons and the motivations that come from being on a team at younger ages, it blends very well with the culture that we want with our team and how we try to build a program that can compete to win a national championship.”

Arizona is ranked 16th in Division I. Christensen has the lowest stroke average on the team (70.91).

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“He’s got a great disposition,” Anderson said. “Guys like being around him. We debate, we argue, we do what friends do. But when he’s in his office, that golf-course space, he’s there for a reason. ... He’s totally committed to being successful.”

• • • 

The fourth thing you should know about Tiger Christensen is that he didn’t come to Arizona straightaway.

Christensen initially committed to Oklahoma State and spent his freshman year there, 2021-22. But he missed the vibe of a big city, having gone from Hamburg (population 1.8 million) to Stillwater (48,000).

“Coming to Stillwater was quite a culture shock,” Christensen said. “I didn’t really feel that comfortable. I didn’t feel like I could excel as much as I wanted to. I just decided that I was better off coming here.”

Arizona wasn’t a random choice. Countryman Yannick Malik, now Christensen’s roommate, was a member of the Wildcats’ 2022 signing class. And Anderson had recruited Christensen, establishing a relationship.

Anderson went to scout Christensen in 2018 at a course south of Hamburg.

“I see this group on No. 9,” Anderson said. “I watched these three guys just peel 2-irons right off the tee. Tiger was in that group.

“We spent time building up that relationship. ... We didn’t get him the first time around.

“But because of the relationship and the impact and the people that we demonstrated that we were, combined with the facility and weather and access to golf, I think that’s why, on the second time around, we were his first call.

“We’ve been very lucky to have him. He a team leader. And watching him from a young age growing up, you could tell he was different.”

• • • 

The fifth thing you should know about Tiger Christensen is that he has a big game.

As a sophomore in 2022-23, Christensen posted the second-lowest scoring average (71.68) on the team. As a 19-year-old last summer, he qualified to play in The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Whoa.

“It was ... a dream come true,” Christensen said. “I learned so much about my game and where the best players in the world are at. It was definitely cool standing on the same stage as them and in front of so many great supporters that were out there. It was a wonderful experience that I really want to experience every year.”

Christensen didn’t make the cut, shooting 77-74 to finish at 9 over par. But his score was better than those of Branden Grace, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson, to name a few.

“He really carried himself like a professional. I was completely impressed,” Anderson said. “It was really neat to be part of that really small circle that week because their whole philosophy was like, ‘Listen, if we’re gonna get there one day, we gotta try to get there today.’

“When it was the end of practice round No. 2 and into the week, it was all business for him. That’s just a credit to who he is as a player. ... I don’t think that’ll be his last Open.”

In October, Christensen notched his first victory as a collegian, steamrolling the field at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in Dallas. Christensen shot 66-67-64 to finish at 19 under — the lowest score over 54 holes in UA history.

Christensen won by five strokes. Again, though, it was his demeanor that impressed Anderson the most.

“Even standing in the fairway on the 54th hole ... he was very deliberate about sticking with his routine,” Anderson said. “I think that just speaks to the maturity and the awareness that he has, who he is as a golfer now and who he aspires to be as a golfer years down the road.”

• • • 

The last thing you should know about Tiger Christensen is that he has big goals.

He posted them on the wall of his room back home. He wants to play on the PGA Tour. He wants to become the first German to win The Open Championship. He wants to win multiple majors.

Whether he turns pro this year or next, Christensen knows it won’t be easy. Professional golf is insanely competitive. It’s incredibly difficult to make a name for yourself, even if your first name is Tiger.

“You gotta be tough,” Christensen said. “You gotta just merge your way through it. No matter how long it takes, what path you take. Everyone does it differently. But you gotta find your own way.”