BYU sophomore sensation Kihei Akina fired a 4-under 67 on Friday to join former Cougar and Ogden native Patrick Fishburn as the low local players in the Bank of Utah Championship in Ivins, Utah.
Akina, who barely missed the cut last year at Black Desert Resort Golf Course, is the low amateur in the field. The other local to make the cut by one stroke was former Cougar and Orem resident Zac Blair, who is in at 6-under par after Friday’s 1-under 70 on Friday.
Akina’s round was the best among the locals, most of whom failed to make the cut. Fishburn, a veteran Tour player, shot a 3-under par 68 on Friday.
He and Akina are tied for 35th heading into the weekend. The two Utahns are nine shots back of leader Austin Smotherman (17-under par), who holds a one-shot lead over Kevin Roy.
Smotherman is a former SMU golfer.
Akina reached the green on the 604-yard par-5 18th hole in two shots with a 286-yard approach shot that left him a 61-footer for eagle. That putt came up short, but he made his 6-footer for birdie to tie Fishburn.
He birdied 13, 17 and 18 on his finishing nine.
A handful of Utahns failed to make the cut, including veteran Tony Finau, who had three birdies and a 3-under round of 68 Friday. His 4-under two-day score was just below the cutline of 5-under.
BYU’s Tyson Shelly finished 3-over after shooting an opening round of 66 and a 79 on Friday. His former Cougar teammate Carson Lundell finished even par with rounds of 70-72.
Zach Johnson’s 70-73 put him at 1-over par, and Boston Bracken joined the locals cut with a second-round 5-over par to finish 3-over.
Two-time Utah Amateur champion and Arizona State golfer Bowen Mauss is even par after 17 holes Friday and will finish his second round Saturday morning along with two others.