IVINS, Utah — BYU men’s golfer Kihei Akina earned a sponsor exemption to compete in the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort on Oct. 1-4, the championship announced Tuesday.
Akina will make his third consecutive appearance in the tournament after competing in 2024 and 2025.
The event grants sponsor exemptions each year to four promising players who do not hold full PGA Tour status. Alongside Akina, the tournament granted exemptions to Arizona State golfers Bowen Mauss and Boston Bracken. The fourth exemption has not yet been announced.
Akina has made four PGA Tour starts, making the cut at the Puerto Rico Open in March and the Wyndham Championship in August. The sophomore will look to make his first cut at the Bank of Utah Championship after missing the cut in 2024 and 2025.
The Hawaii native has also competed in three Korn Ferry Tour events.
Akina has carried last season’s momentum into his sophomore season, finishing second at the Vuori Invitational to record the eighth top-five finish of his career.