The road to pro golf with Kihei Akina: Junior golf, Walker Cup and playing on the PGA Tour
24 min
Patrick McDonald sits down with BYU star Kihei Akina to talk junior golf, the college recruiting process and his run of success on the PGA Tour this fall. (0:00) Intro (0:30) Kihei Akina joins the show (1:00) How did Kihei get into the game? (2:30) Growing up in an athletic family + not specializing too early (4:30) The “stacking papers” method (6:00) Kihei’s swing is awesome, what does he remember about building it? (7:15) The recruiting process, the transition to college & balancing school and golf (11:05) Walker Cup takeaways and most impressive teammate (14:30) Differences between an elite amateur & a pro (16:00) The last month on the PGA Tour & PGA Tour U Accelerated (21:10) Do you feel like a professional? + relationship with Tony Finau (22:45) Dealing with setbacks & unknowns 🎥 WATCH • Subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GolfonCBS • Watch CBS Sports HQ: https://cbssports.com/live • Watch CBS Sports Network on your TV or the CBS Sports App with your cable provider 📖 READ • More golf news: https://cbssports.com/golf/ 💵BETTING • For everything CBS Sports Betting: https://www.cbssports.com/betting/ • Find the best sportsbooks: https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/best-betting-apps/ • Get the latest sportsbook promos: https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/sportsbook-promos/ 🎙ABOUT THE SHOW: Golf on CBS Podcast with Shane Bacon & company delivers expert insight, sharp analysis, and behind-the-scenes stories from the PGA Tour every Tuesday. The show breaks down the biggest events, preview upcoming tournaments, and bring you unfiltered conversations with golf’s biggest names — all with the trusted voice of CBS Sports.
