BYU Sophomore Kihei Akina Rides Hot Ping Putter at Mexico Open
By Staff Writer
2 min read
LoopGolf
Key takeaways
- Kihei Akina has made the cut in all five of his PGA Tour sponsor-exemption starts, including a top-10 and two top-25 finishes.
- Through 36 holes at the Mexico Open, the BYU sophomore gained 7.101 strokes putting with his Ping PLD Ally Blue 4.
- Akina's Ping G440 LST driver is set at 45.25 inches with a Fujikura Ventus Velo+ Black 6X shaft and a draw-biased weight setting.
- He is hitting 65.71% of fairways this week behind a 118 mph clubhead speed and 178 mph ball speed, per PGA Tour Stats.
Kihei Akina, the BYU standout playing the PGA Tour on sponsor exemptions, has made the cut in all five of his starts, and a hot putter has carried him through two rounds at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open.
How has Akina performed on the PGA Tour this season?
In his fifth tour start, Akina has made every cut, posting a top-10 and two other top-25 finishes. Ping's Player Development staff, led by rep Brad Millard, built his equipment around his natural draw and a tendency to miss right, keeping his ball flight in a narrow window rather than chasing extra distance.
What does his driver setup look like?
Akina's gamer is a Ping G440 LST at 9 degrees of loft, built to 45.25 inches with a Fujikura Ventus Velo+ Black 6X shaft tipped one inch and a 32-gram weight set to add draw bias. The club carries a flat, three-degree lie angle rather than extra loft to shape his flight. He backs it up with a Ping Mini Proto mini-driver at 13 degrees and 43 inches, built on a stiffer Fujikura Ventus Velo+ Black 7X shaft for tighter tee shots.
How has his putter performed this week?
Through two rounds in Mexico, Akina has gained 7.101 strokes putting with his Ping PLD Ally Blue 4, a black-finished mallet built to 34 inches with 4 degrees of loft and 19 degrees of lie. He has made 137 feet of putts total and is averaging 1.46 putts per green in regulation.
A hot putter built around seven strokes gained has turned Akina's sponsor invites into made cuts.
| Club | Model | Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | Ping G440 LST | 9°, 45.25", draw bias |
| Mini-driver | Ping Mini Proto | 13°, 43", draw bias |
| Utility iron | Ping iDi | 19.25°, 39.25", 58° lie |
| Irons 4-5 | Ping i240 | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 |
| Irons 6-PW | Ping Blueprint S | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 |
| Wedges | Ping S259 RAW | 50°, 54°, 60° |
| Putter | Ping PLD Ally Blue 4 | 34", 4° loft, 19° lie |
Frequently asked questions
What college does Kihei Akina play for?
Akina is a sophomore at BYU who has been competing on the PGA Tour through sponsor exemptions.
What putter does Kihei Akina use?
He uses a Ping PLD Ally Blue 4, a black-finished mallet built to 34 inches with 4 degrees of loft.
How many PGA Tour cuts has Akina made?
He has made the cut in all five of his PGA Tour starts, including a top-10 and two top-25 finishes.
What driver does Kihei Akina play?
He plays a Ping G440 LST at 9 degrees and 45.25 inches, built with a draw-biased weight setting to control a right miss.
- Kihei Akina
- Ping G440 LST
- Ping PLD Ally
- BYU golf
- Mexico Open
- sponsor exemption
- PGA Tour equipment
