The Official Account of BYU Men’s Golf
Provo, UT
Joined October 2017
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BYU Men's Golf retweeted
"If the fall season ended today, Kihei Akina would be my MVP.
"The BYU sophomore has recorded as many top-15 finishes (two) as any player on the PGA Tour this fall despite playing in only three of the five events. He finished ninth at the Bank of Utah Championship, 15th at the Mexico Open, and T-17 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
"From time to time, you’ll hear people say that the margins separating different levels in golf are razor-thin, but it really isn’t true. The talent gaps between collegiate golf and the Korn Ferry Tour, and between the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour, are quite significant. If a player belongs on the PGA Tour, they’ll let you know. Akina is very young, but over a small sample this fall, he is doing precisely that.
"I don’t want to hoist unreasonable expectations on a 20-year-old amateur, but Akina should feel very encouraged that he’s already proving he can contend with some of the best golfers in the world at such a ripe age. The future is bright."
- @JosephLaMagna on golfers whose stock has risen this fall
(Photo Courtesy: PGA Tour)
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
BYU's Kihei Akina will return to campus after another great week of PGA Tour experience. 15th-place finish in Mexico is his third top-20 in a row and fourth of the year, as he just misses the top 10 for another start. We'll see if he gets any more sponsor exemptions in 2026.
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
BYU sophomore Kihei Akina sits T7 through 54-holes at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open.
Akina has made the cut in all five starts
this season, highlighted by a solo-ninth finish at the Bank of Utah Championship.
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
Lincoln Markham talks about balancing YouTube and BYU Golf, plus teases the possibility of golf content in the future 👀
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
"He's not a big, strong football player, but he can hit a ball probably a lot further than a lot of football players can."
Dan Markham on his son Lincoln’s progress with BYU Golf ⛳️
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
Playing on a sponsor exemption, Kihei Akina sits T2 at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, the best 36-hole position by an amateur on Tour this season
Previous best: T7/John Daly II at the Puerto Rico Open
Just two amateurs have won on Tour in the last 40 years. @BYUMGolf sophomore Kihei Akina shares the lead at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open after opening in rounds of 67-64.
With the made cut, Akina also secures his 12th @PGATOURU Accelerated point, drawing closer to the 20-point threshold that would offer automatic PGA Tour membership.
He could accrue another point for a top-10 finish and yet another point for a top-five finish.
"I've just got to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas," Akina said Friday in Mexico. "Feel like I'm doing that pretty well this week. I think I'm feeling more comfortable with each round played.
"I feel like every new tournament, every new round is a learning experience for me, and this one here was a really great experience for me so far."
Akina has already visited the VidantaWorld amusement park multiple times this week, and his play has offered the fans ample amusement as well.
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
College kid T-1 at a PGA Tour event 🔥😤 @BYUMGolf
Kihei Akina (a) chips in on 18 for an exceptional 64, and he shares the current lead in Mexico
2011 was the last time an amateur held the lead through 36 on Tour (Cantlay)
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
20 year old American amateur, Kihei Akina, is currently tied for the lead at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open on the PGA Tour after a Friday 64. The made cut puts him on 12 points on the PGA Tour University Accelerated programme, needing 20 to earn a PGA Tour card.
He spoke it after the round:
“Yeah, this helps obviously. I’ve just got to keep playing well and keep my foot on the gas. Feel like I’m doing that pretty well this week.”
Kihei played with 19 year old Blades Brown and 22 year old Luke Clanton in the first two rounds. He spoke about that experience:
“Yeah, that was awesome, awesome
grouping the last two days. I never met Luke before so that was really fun to get to know him. He’s a really cool guy. I’ve known Blades for a while. Yeah, just really fun grouping and I think that helped keep me kind of loose out there.”
Kihei also played at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship last week and he says getting PGA Tour starts is helping him feel more comfortable:
“Yeah, I think I’m feeling more comfortable with each round played. This is my first time going from an event to another event, so back to back, it’s a little bit different for me in that aspect. Yeah, I feel like every new tournament, every new round is a learning experience for me, and this one here was a really great experience for me so far.”
Kihei is another exceptional young talent coming out of the PGA Tour University system and he speaks so well already. Hopefully he has a good weekend and can stay in contention.
@PGATour
BYU Men's Golf retweeted
Just two amateurs have won on Tour in the last 40 years. @BYUMGolf sophomore Kihei Akina shares the lead at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open after opening in rounds of 67-64.
With the made cut, Akina also secures his 12th @PGATOURU Accelerated point, drawing closer to the 20-point threshold that would offer automatic PGA Tour membership.
He could accrue another point for a top-10 finish and yet another point for a top-five finish.
"I've just got to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas," Akina said Friday in Mexico. "Feel like I'm doing that pretty well this week. I think I'm feeling more comfortable with each round played.
"I feel like every new tournament, every new round is a learning experience for me, and this one here was a really great experience for me so far."
Akina has already visited the VidantaWorld amusement park multiple times this week, and his play has offered the fans ample amusement as well.
UTAH'S FINEST 🏆
David Liechty was named the 2026 UGA Men's Player of the Year. #gocougs
AT IT AGAIN🔥
BYU men's golfer Kihei Akina will compete in the PGA Tour's VidantaWorld Mexico Open Oct. 29–Nov. 1. #pgatour
FALL SEASON COMPLETE ✅
The Cougars finished second at 21 under par at The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate. #gocougs
AT THE TOP📈
BYU leads The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate at 24 under par after second-round play was suspended due to darkness. #GoCougs
