Kihei Akina’s historic round, Jackson Mauss’ ace have BYU in the hunt at Big 12 championship

BYU freshman Kihei Akina continued to shine at the Big 12 men’s golf championship on Tuesday, a day after the Lone Peak High product shot one of the lowest rounds ever at the 72-hole event.

Kihei is 9-under-par 201 and in second place through 54 holes at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas, after posting a 3-under 67 on Tuesday. Oklahoma State’s Preston Stout, the No. 3-ranked college golfer in the country, leads the tournament at 11-under 199.

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In the team competition, Oklahoma State leads at 19-under, followed by Arizona at 10-under. Ranked No. 23 in the country, BYU is tied for sixth with Baylor at 8-over, while Utah is in ninth at 14-over after firing a 3-under team round on Tuesday.

The Cougars were in fifth place at 2-over midway through the tournament, but shot a disappointing 6-over on Tuesday. The final 18 holes will be played Wednesday.

Akina, ranked No. 7 in the country in the individual rankings, opened the tournament with a 7-under 63 on Monday morning, then followed with a 1-over 71 Monday afternoon.

The round of 63 tied for the lowest single-round score in conference tournament history and became the lowest score ever recorded in the opening round. Akina was one stroke short of matching the course record, set by PGA Tour star and Texas Tech product Ludvig Aberg.

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“Kihei’s 63 was one of the best rounds of golf I’ve witnessed, “ said BYU golf coach Todd Miller. “He made the other competitors feel like he was playing a different course.”

Akina said it was an honor to be mentioned alongside Aberg, who is from Sweden.

“I thought I controlled my ball well in the wind, for the most part,” Akina said after Monday’s rounds. “I need to continue to play smart and execute my shots.”

He did just that Tuesday, as high winds continued at the difficult course in central Kansas.

Also Monday, freshman Jackson Mauss, from Draper’s Corner Canyon High, made a hole-in-one on the 15th hole, the Cougars’ first ace of the season. Mauss fired a 69 in Monday’s second round.

“The ace that Jackson made was impressive, especially since he did it with a 4-iron on one of the toughest holes on the course,” Miller said.