PROVO, Utah – Freshman Kihei Akina was selected to Golfweek’s 2025-26 Freshmen to Watch list on Friday morning.
Out of the 10 selected freshmen, Akina was one of two Big 12 golfers to appear on the list, with Oklahoma State’s Henry Guan being the other.
This is the third time in three days that BYU or the Lone Peak product has been recognized by Golfweek. Akina was tagged Thursday morning as a preseason All-America third team member. On Wednesday, the Cougars were ranked No. 12 in Golfweek’s 2025-26 men’s college golf preseason rankings.
Akina, the 58th-ranked amateur golfer, claimed the 99th Utah Open title and competed in the U.S. Amateur as well as the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship all in the month of August. Earlier this year, the freshman received an invite to the 2025 National Junior Team USA roster and earned his fourth Utah 6A All-State selection to wrap up his senior year at Lone Peak High School. Akina also took third in the Terra Cotta Invitational last April.
Last October, Akina shot back-to-back 69s in the first two rounds at the Black Desert Championship, his first PGA Tour start.
The rest of the freshmen on Golfweek Freshmen to Watch can be found here.