Amateur golf standout Kihei Akina impresses in PGA Tour debut
Kihei Akina at the Black Desert Championship (Randy Dodson, Fairways Media)
Whenever we see a young amateur golfer in the field of a PGA Tour event on a sponsor's exemption, we like to figure out how they got there. Especially if they shoot rounds of 69-69, like
Kihei Akina did at the PGA Tour Black Desert Championship -- the first PGA Tour event to visit his home state of Utah since 1963.
Akina finished 4-under with his rounds of 2-under 69 to miss the cut by one shot.
Akina is an 18-year-old from Hawaii who has committed to play collegiate golf at Brigham Young University. Growing up in paradise, Akina honed his skills on the diverse golf courses of the islands, quickly establishing himself as a formidable talent in junior golf circuits. Akina is a member of a large family that includes six siblings; his older brother Keanu recently graduated from BYU and excelled on the Cougars golf team.
Earlier in the week, the PGA Tour went through Akina's bag to show what he was playing this week. He is ranked No. 244 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com U.S. Rankings.
Akina is a senior at Lone Peak High School in Alpine, Utah, and the AJGA ranks him the No. 12 junior player in the country. His rise in the junior and amateur ranks has been impressive, as detailed below.
Entry into the PGA Tour Black Desert Championship
Akina earned his spot in the PGA Tour Black Desert Championship through his exceptional performances in junior and amateur tournaments, which caught the eye of tournament director Patrick Manning. He posted consecutive rounds of 69-69, placing him at 4-under-par—just one shot off the projected cut line of 5-under. While this is Akina's first PGA Tour event, he was also in the field at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship this summer, finishing T49 with a 13-under par finish that included a round of 66 at Oakridge Country Club.
Junior and Amateur Achievements
Kihei Akina has a remarkable record of accomplishments in junior and amateur golf. Below are some of his most notable performances:
2024 Wins
* Nike Junior Invitational: Akina secured first place, demonstrating his ability to triumph in highly competitive fields.
* Mountainland Invitational: He claimed victory, further establishing his reputation as a top junior golfer.
2024 Top Finishes
* Terra Cotta Invitational: Finished 3rd in this prestigious all-ages amateur event.
* Junior Invitational at Sage Valley: Achieved a 5th place finish, showcasing his consistency at elite junior levels.
* Hawaii State Match Play - Manoa Cup: Placed 3rd in this all-ages tournament held in his home state.
2023 Notable Performances
* Rolex Tournament of Champions: Finished 3rd, competing against the nation's top junior golfers.
* Boy's Junior PGA Championship: Secured 4th place, highlighting his skill on a national stage.
* The Dye Junior Invitational: Achieved a 5th place finish.
* Hawaii State Match Play - Manoa Cup: Finished 2nd, indicating strong performances in consecutive years at this event.
* UJGA Opener: Placed 3rd, starting the year with a strong showing.
U.S. Junior Amateur Championship:
2024: Finished 17th, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest levels of junior golf.
2023: Finished 33rd, gaining valuable experience in national competition.
We will be following Kihei Akina as he makes the journey to collegiate and high-level amateur golf. Having the knowledge that he can compete alongside some of the best players in the world is sure to give him confidence, and a competitive edge.
Elsewhere in the field, 17-year-old Arizona State commit Bowen Mauss (view profile) and BYU senior Zac Jones (view profile) were also in the field, with both shooting 4-over and missing the cut. Mauss is a teammate of Akina, a high school team that likely doesn't lose often.
Mauss made the final 16 in the 2023 U.S. Amateur and Jones won the 2023 Arizona Intercollegiate and finished in solo fourth place at the 2024 Sunnehanna Amateur and T3 at the 2024 Northeast Amateur.