BYU sophomore Kihei Akina, who captured NCAA Freshman of the Year honors last season and is playing in this week’s Bank of Utah Championship on a sponsor invite, has signed an agreement to represent PING, company CEO & President John K. Solheim announced today.
The 20-year-old native of Hawaii starred at Lone Peak High School in Alpine, Utah, where he won three individual state titles and led the team to two state championships before joining Brigham Young University in 2025 as one of the most highly recruited players in the country, receiving offers from 50 golf programs. He won twice his freshman season and earned a spot on the 2026 U.S. Walker Cup team. As a 19-year-old, Akina became the youngest winner of the Utah Open Championship in more than 90 years.
“Kihei has quickly put his name on the list of the top young golfers in the world,” said Solheim. “He had a phenomenal junior career, and that level of play has continued into college where he’s already received numerous accolades for his performance. We’re pleased to add him to our team and look forward to following his progress as an amateur and beyond. He’s already played in four PGA Tour events, proving he can compete at the highest level. He’s a very personable young man who plays the game with a lot of skill and passion.”
As part of the agreement, Akina will play 14 PING clubs, carry a PING bag and wear a PING hat in all tournaments and appearances outside of his collegiate events.
“Joining PING at this point in my career is a tremendous honor,” said Akina, who finished 8th at the 2026 NCAA Championships. “I’ve been playing PING equipment since my junior days, and I’ve developed a great relationship with their team since arriving at BYU. Their knowledge of equipment and custom fitting makes a huge difference in my game and helps give me the confidence I need to advance my career and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I’m excited to be part of the PING family.”
Financial terms and the length of the agreement were not disclosed.
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