Kihei Akina signs with BYU

PROVO, Utah – Men’s golf head coach Bruce Brockbank announced the signing of No. 4 Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked Kihei Akina.

Akina will graduate from Lone Peak High School in May before coming to join the Cougars for the 2025-26 season. 

“I’ve had so much fun watching Kihei compete the last few years in junior golf,” Brockbank said. “He’s a talented player. I look forward to his competitiveness and leadership. Kihei will have a tremendous influence on our golf team at BYU.”

Akina made his PGA Tour debut in October on a sponsor exemption. He was the youngest player to receive an exemption to compete in the tournament. Additionally, he competed at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship in August, where he carded a 13-under-par total.

“I just told myself I belong out here.”

Currently on the projected cutline of -4, only time will tell if 18-year-old amateur Kihei Akina will make his first cut on TOUR @BDChampionship.#CutCam pic.twitter.com/XC2HZyJn43

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 11, 2024

While at Lone Peak, Akina has claimed three individual state titles in the 6A division while helping to lead his teammates to a team title in both 2021 and 2022. He was recently recognized as a 2024-25 First Team medalist in the 6A Boys division in Utah PGA. 

Adding to the accolades, the Alpine native was named the 2023 USA Today Boys Golfer of the Year.

Golf Channel ranked Akina No. 4 in the country for the 2025 signing players and listed BYU as No. 8 in the top signing institutions along with future teammate Jackson Shelley.