Kihei Akina Is Eight Points Away From Stunning PGA Tour Breakthrough

Kihei Akina isn't waiting until graduation to make his mark on professional golf. The 20-year-old BYU sophomore is turning heads at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, and his latest performance has pushed him another step closer to earning a PGA Tour card.

Akina fired a 7-under 64 Friday at Vidanta Vallarta, reaching 11-under 131 through two rounds and moving into a tie for second place, three shots behind leader Andrew Novak.

MORE: Andrew Novak Fires Stunning 61 To Take Three-Shot Mexico Open Lead

But there's something potentially more valuable than the leaderboard position.

By making his fifth cut in five PGA Tour appearances this season, Akina collected his 12th point in the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.

Just eight more would give him the 20 points required to earn PGA Tour membership before completing college.

That's a remarkable opportunity for a player who entered the year without the national attention surrounding previous Accelerated graduates Jackson Koivun, Luke Clanton and Gordon Sargent.

Akina is making sure that changes.

His Friday round featured an eagle, six birdies and just one bogey. After opening with a 67 Thursday, the Hawaii native delivered his lowest PGA Tour round and positioned himself for a serious weekend run.

"I've just got to keep playing well and keep my foot on the gas," Akina said. "I feel like I'm doing that pretty well this week."

The momentum didn't begin in Mexico.

Akina recorded his first PGA Tour top-10 finish at the Bank of Utah Championship before tying for 17th at last week's Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Now he's threatening to improve on both performances.

Another top-10 finish would add to his Accelerated total and earn him a spot in next week's World Wide Technology Championship.

And the possibilities don't stop there.

Akina entered the tournament ranked ninth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, leaving additional Accelerated points available if he climbs into the world's top five.

He's already collected points through his Walker Cup and Palmer Cup appearances, along with recognition as the nation's outstanding freshman last season.

His rapid development has also brought some valuable perspective from Clanton, who navigated the same program before earning PGA Tour membership.

Akina isn't pretending he has everything figured out.

"I feel like every new tournament, every new round is a learning experience for me," he said.

There's also the ultimate shortcut. If Akina wins Sunday, he could earn PGA Tour membership through the victory itself, following the path Nick Dunlap took at The American Express in 2024.

For now, the immediate challenge is catching Novak and staying near the top of the Mexico Open leaderboard.

MORE: Tom Kim, Brian Campbell Hit Wrong Balls In Bizarre Mexico Open Blunder

But the bigger picture is becoming impossible to ignore.

Kihei Akina might still be a college sophomore, but his professional golf career could arrive much sooner than anyone expected.