Golf phenom Kihei Akina shares why he chose BYU (and it wasn't just for golf)
Standing on the first tee of the Black Desert Championship last October in Ivins, Utah, Kihei Akina caught a glimpse of his future. With a large crowd gathered around him, BYU's prized five-star golf recruit took out his driver and readied himself to make his PGA Tour debut.
'I was fine and felt normal,' Akina told the 'Y's Guys' podcast this week. 'But I put the tee in the ground and as I stood over the ball, my legs went to jelly. I couldn't feel my hands. I couldn't feel anything. I thought, 'Oh crap! Just make contact!' Somehow, I hit it down the fairway.'
Advertisement
By the third hole, Akina was back to being his confident self and over the course of two days he went toe-to-toe with the professionals and made eight birdies and finished just outside the cut line at 4 under par.
'It was definitely different from junior golf and high school golf,' said the three-time state champion at Lone Peak High. 'I just tried to learn as much as I could from those guys.'
Akina hails from an athletic family. His older sister, Kiani, played rugby at Harvard, and older brothers Keanu golfed at BYU and Kawika played basketball at NYU in Manhattan. Now it's his time to shine.
When it came time to decide on a college, Akina received offers and NIL pitches from 50 programs, including BYU, which presented a competitive proposal — and an environment that has less to do with golf and more to do with the golfer.
Advertisement
'I wanted to surround myself with likeminded people. People in the church who have the same beliefs as me,' Akina said. 'I think it will help build me and help build my testimony of the Savior and help me be a better person and get to where I want to be in life.'
Akina also wants to win. Bruce Brockbank's current Cougars are competing this weekend at the NCAA championships in Carlsbad, California, where BYU is chasing its first national title since 1981.
'I also wanted to come in and build the program up and I want to compete for a national championship,' Akina said. 'At BYU you represent so much. You represent the church and this great state of Utah. It's really cool to be able to do that. Hopefully we can make a run next year.'
Akina is a big piece of an unprecedented wave of prized prep recruits bringing their talents to Provo, including No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa (basketball), No. 1-ranked Jane Hedengren (women's cross-country), No. 1-ranked Daniel Simmons (men's cross-country) and the No. 5-ranked tight end Brock Harris (football).
Advertisement
'BYU is on the rise for sure. It's really cool to see. Everything is building up with every sport,' Akina said. 'I'm excited to be a part of it. I've been itching to get to campus for the last year and a half.'
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts 'Y's Guys' at ysguys.com and is the author of the children's book 'C is for Cougar,' available at deseretbook.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Scottie Scheffler dominates in British Open victory for his 2nd major title this year
Associated Press PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — The enormous yellow scoreboard above the 18th green at Royal Portrush perfectly illustrated the state of golf these days. Scottie Scheffler's name was at the top. No one was close. That's how it was in the British Open on Sunday, when Scheffler never gave anyone a chance from the time his 9-iron settled a foot away for birdie on the first hole until he tapped in for a 3-under 68 and a four-shot victory over Harris English. That's how it is in the sport, a level of dominance not seen since Tiger Woods. 'He is the bar that we're all trying to get to,' Masters champion Rory McIlroy said. 'In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.' Scheffler not only won his second major this year — and fourth in the last three years — he captured the third leg of the career Grand Slam, now missing only the U.S. Open. He became the first player in more than a century to win his first fourth major title by at least three shots, and if not for his lone blunder from a bunker on the eighth hole when he had a seven-shot lead, he would have played bogey-free on the weekend. 'Being able to walk up 18 with the tournament in hand is a really tough thing to describe. It's a really cool feeling. I have a lot of gratitude towards being able to accomplish something like this,' Scheffler said, the silver claret jug on the table next to him. 'It's taken a lot of work — not only a lot of work, but it takes a lot of patience,' he said. 'It's a high level of focus over 72 holes of a tournament. This was, I felt like, one of my best performances mentally.' The emotions he showed were telling. Until he had his name etched on golf's oldest trophy, Scheffler had a week marked by his extraordinary insight on how he views winning. He said celebrations last only a few minutes. He has wondered, 'What's the point?' He loves the work required to be the best. He thrives on competition. But in terms of fulfillment, he often questions why he wants to win so badly when the thrill of winning is fleeting. On the golf course, his biggest fist pump was for a par on the sixth hole. As he crouched to line up his birdie putt on the 18th, he rested his head on his hand with a slight smile of deep satisfaction. When he tapped in the final putt, he plucked the ball from the cup and put it in his pocket as if he had just won a regular PGA Tour event. But when he finally found his family — wife Meredith, 15-month-old son Bennett, and his parents — Scheffler went crazy. He thrust both arms in the air, pumped both arms, screamed and threw his cap in the air. That's what it's all about for the 29-year-old from Texas. 'She's always the first person I want to celebrate with,' he said. 'She knows me better than anybody. That's my best friend. It takes a lot of work to be able to become good at this game, and I wouldn't be able to do it without her support.' McIlroy had referred to the outcome as 'inevitable' when Scheffler built a four-shot lead going into the final round, and it was every bit of that. The tap-in birdie on the first hole. A brilliant approach between two knobs to 7 feet for birdie on the fourth. A 15-foot birdie on No. 5. Most telling was his biggest celebration, a powerful fist pump when he made a 15-foot par putt on No. 6. It was reminiscent of when Woods saved his biggest fist pump for a par on the 16th hole of his historic 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach in the 2000 U.S. Open, when it was clear Woods was competing mainly against himself. That's what it felt like until Scheffler's one wobble a double bogey on No. 8 when it took two shots to get out of a fairway bunker. That ended his streak of 32 consecutive holes without a bogey. The lead was down to four shots when Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup birdied the ninth. And then Scheffler birdied the next hole. He played the back nine with eight pars and a birdie because that's all he needed. No one could catch him. 'I played with him the first two days, and honestly I thought he was going to birdie every hole. It was incredible to watch,' Shane Lowry said. 'If Scottie's feet stayed stable and his swing looked like Adam Scott's, we'd be talking about him in the same words as Tiger Woods. ... His bad shots are really good. That's when you know he's really good.' Scheffler, who finished at 17-under 267, won for the fourth time this year. He now has won 20 times worldwide in the last 30 months. This was the 11th straight time he turned a 54-hole lead into a victory. 'I don't think we thought the golfing world would see someone as dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here's Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance,' said Xander Schauffele, the defending champion who tied for seventh. 'You can't even say he's on a run. He's just been killing it for over two years now,' he said. 'He's a tough man to beat, and when you see his name up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.' English capped off a memorable two weeks in the United Kingdom. His caddie of eight years couldn't get a new travel visa because of a 10-year prison term he served two decades ago. English had a replacement last week at the Scottish Open and another this week. It didn't stop him. English closed with a 66 and was runner-up in a major for the second time this year — both times to Scheffler — as he strengthened his case for the Ryder Cup team. 'The only guy to beat me at the PGA and this week. I'm playing some good golf," English said. 'I wasn't playing professional golf when Tiger was at his peak. But it's pretty incredible, just how good of a front-runner he is.' Li Haotong of China (70), Matt Fitzpatrick (69) and Wyndham Clark (65) tied for fourth. That gets Li into the Masters next year. As for McIlroy, there were few complaints. He needed an electric start like he had Saturday and was eight shots behind an hour into the final round. No matter. The Masters champion soaked up adulation across Royal Portrush, closing with a 69 to tie for seventh. 'I wish I had have been closer to Scottie going into today and been able to make a real push,' McIlroy said. 'But he's been on a different level all week and he's been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to at this point. 'But for me to be in front of everyone here at home and to get that reception up the last, absolutely incredible. I'll remember that for a long time.' The only stumble from Scheffler came from his 15-month-old son, who tried to walk up a slope to the 18th green toward his dad and the claret jug, only to face-plant. 'I don't think he's ever been up a hill that big before,' Scheffler said with a laugh. That also goes for players chasing Scheffler. ___ AP golf: recommended Item 1 of 2
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Rory McIlroy Ready For European Vacation After Strong Finish at the Open
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rory McIlroy was the absolute fan favorite at Royal Portrush during this year's Open Championship. With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who went on to win the event, no player received as much ovation as the Northern Irishman. Riding on the back of this massive support from his compatriots, McIlroy charged hard through the final two rounds to contend for the title, but eventually finished tied for seventh at 10-under. Although the season isn't over, it's been an emotionally charged journey for the Northern Irishman thus far, so much so that he revealed himself needing a break. With a fresh start to the Ryder Cup in his sights, McIlroy already has a vacation planned, starting immediately. "I don't want to play too much leading up to that [the Ryder Cup] because I want to be fresh," said McIlroy, according to the transcripts of his post-round press conference. "So I'm looking forward to a few weeks off here (in Europe). I'll reflect on what's been already a good year and start to get myself ready for that run up to the Ryder Cup. "I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset. Yeah, I feel like I'm getting back to where I want to be, and we've still got a lot of golf left this year with, obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September." Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland acknowledges the crowd after finishing his round on the 18th green during day four of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 20, 2025 in Portrush,... Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland acknowledges the crowd after finishing his round on the 18th green during day four of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 20, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. MoreThis was Rory McIlroy's 33rd top-10 finish in 67 career major championships, and his eighth in 16 Open Championship starts. How do the next two months look on Rory McIlroy's schedule? Although McIlroy's schedule is not public knowledge, we can estimate his upcoming starts based on what he has said, as quoted above. As he predicted, there shouldn't be many. The PGA Tour will conclude the month of July with two tournaments the five-time major champion is certain to miss: the 3M Open and the Wyndham Championship. The three FedEx Cup playoff tournaments (the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the BMW Championship, and the Tour Championship will follow, and McIlroy will definitely participate in all of them. This will mark the end of the PGA Tour season. The Northern Irishman will have little time to rest, as just two weeks after the Tour Championship, the DP World Tour Irish Open will be played, an event in which McIlroy is a regular participant. The 36-year-old has one more tournament to play before the Ryder Cup. As he has done almost every year, he will likely play in the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour's flagship event, which takes place two weeks before the biannual event. More Golf: 'Proud Daddy' John Daly Congratulates Son Amid Spectacular Win
Time Business News
2 hours ago
- Time Business News
Skip Bin Hire vs. DIY Waste Disposal: Which Saves You More Time and Money?
Scottie Scheffler isn't just dominating professional golf — he's doing it with a mindset that rivals legends. 'I would equate him — at least in terms of mentality — to an athlete like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods… he uses the tiniest of slights… and makes sure you can use it to fire yourself up to do the next thing.' That's how Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner described Scheffler on their podcast, echoing what much of the golf world already believes: Scottie Scheffler is operating at a level few others have ever reached. And it is not just the podcast hosts who agree on that. Jon Rahm, who had a tough outing at The Open Championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, agrees with them, too. Rahm carded a 1 under par on the last day to finish at 3 under par, securing T34 on the leaderboard. That is nearly 14 strokes behind the consistent Scottie Scheffler, who won the event. Rahm was full of praise for the growth shown by the four-time Major winner. 'Very few players have been able to do what he's done. He's won three majors in three years — or four years. No, three years. Won nine times last season, and he keeps going on. He's doing what everybody wants to do.' Rahm stated. Scheffler claimed his first-ever win on the PGA Tour in 2022 at the WM Phoenix Open. In the last four years, he has outdone himself, claiming fifteen more wins, en route to being World No. 1. This includes a ridiculous stretch during the 2024 season, right after Rahm left for LIV Golf, where Scheffler recorded 7 wins on the PGA Tour. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Jon Rahm after his round today on Scottie Scheffler… 'Very few players have been able to do what he's done. He's won three majors in three years — or four years. No, three years. Won nine times last season, and he keeps going on. He's doing what everybody wants to do.' — Ron Mintz (@MintzGolf) July 20, 2025 The two seasons before Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title, Scheffler carded 15 top 10 finishes, including a runner-up position at the World Golf Championships and third at the Memorial Tournament. It seemed like he could never get over the hump before his victory in Arizona. 'What I keep reminding myself is he was able to turn things around drastically. From not being able to close out early on some of the chances he had to getting it done often. If he's been able to do it, all of us are able to do it.' The Spaniard further added. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad 'I've definitely played really high, and I've had my battles against him head to head, and it's always been a lot of fun. I'm optimistic that I can get to that level as well. Obviously it's not easy, but I'm optimistic it can be done.' The 2023 Masters Champion professed. And the respect between the two is mutual, as Scheffler had previously mentioned that the one thing he misses from LIV Golf is the fact that a lot of good competitors went away, especially Rahm. Scheffler misses the competition against Jon Rahm 'To be completely honest, Jon [Rahm] was one of my favourite people to play against. We had some good battles throughout the years and I was pretty surprised that he decided to take the money and leave.' Scheffler had stated previously. Rahm and Scheffler were involved in some heavy battles, especially during the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. They played each other in singles play, where Scheffler held a slight edge, before Rahm carded a valuable birdie on the last hole to tie the contest. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Fans were very recently treated to another classic encounter between the Spaniard and the American at the 2025 PGA Championship. Rahm was the only person who was able to draw level with Scottie Scheffler during the weekend, when they momentarily had the same score on the 11th hole. However, Rahm succumbed to pressure, carding a bogey and two double bogeys across the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes to finish seven strokes behind the eventual winner. Yet, it still remains as a stark reminder of the threat Jon Rahm poses to Scottie Scheffler. Can he continue to bring the same fervour in the future, or will Scottie Scheffler put an insurmountable gap between him and the rest of the field?
