Another top amateur is quickly ascending through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program and could soon earn a Tour card.

Akina, a 20-year-old sophomore at Brigham Young University, earned his 12th Accelerated point Friday by making the cut at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open. Akina is more than halfway to the 20-point threshold needed to jump straight to the PGA Tour. He would be the fourth golfer to earn status through the pathway.

Kihei Akina's 200-yard approach sets up birdie on No. 16 at Mexico Open

Akina shot 64 on Friday at Vidanta Vallarta, which was enough to easily make the weekend. He has made the cut in all five of his Tour starts this year. He carded his first career top-10 finish at the Bank of Utah Championship and followed it with a T17 in Bermuda a week ago.

Akina made an eagle and six birdies Friday, which more than offset his lone bogey. As he finished his round, he sat inside the top 10 through 36 holes. If he maintains that position through the weekend, Akina will earn his 13th Accelerated point. A top-10 finish would also net Akina an exemption into next week’s World Wide Technology Championship.

Akina’s rise has been, so far, less heralded than his predecessors'. Koivun and Sargent were considered can’t-miss prospects before they even played a round of collegiate golf. Clanton took the Tour by storm, nearly winning multiple times before earning his card via the Accelerated pathway.

Akina has not carried similar acclaim. He played the Walker Cup earlier this year but was considered one of the last selections for the U.S. Until this fall, he hasn’t received many sponsor exemptions. That will change if Akina keeps playing at this level.

Kihei Akina holes 29-foot approach for birdie on No. 18 at Mexico Open

Of course, Akina could bypass the system entirely if he wins in Mexico, as Nick Dunlap did at The American Express in 2024.

Akina’s Accelerated point accrual is made more impressive by the fact that he’s done it without a trove of points available via the World Amateur Golf Ranking. A possible five points are available based on positioning in the WAGR, but Akina has yet to crack the top five (currently No. 9) and has earned his points largely based on his Tour finishes. Suppose Akina can maintain form and rise in the rankings, that also presents a massive opportunity to gain another handful of points quickly. Akina did earn two points by winning the Outstanding Freshman of the Year award last spring and earned points for playing on the U.S. Walker Cup and Palmer Cup teams earlier this year. The sophomore will be eligible for the Palmer Cup again next summer and figures to feature prominently in awards discussions throughout the next collegiate season.

Of the three previous Accelerated graduates, Koivun is the only one to win since joining the PGA Tour. Clanton and Sargent are both battling to keep their cards this fall. Akina said he sought out Clanton for advice on handling the process and pressure of the pursuit.

“He was in a similar position,” the soft-spoken Akina said. “It would be cool to kind of do what he did, and that all kind of started with him playing well out here on the Tour.”

Good golf will take care of it, whether that’s this week or next year. But it may come sooner rather than later if Akina keeps this up.