This is a big week for Walker Cupper and BYU sophomore Kihei Akina as he readies for the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship, his fifth-career PGA Tour start.
Akina also has joined Ping, as its latest NIL ambassador.
“Joining Ping at this point in my career is a tremendous honor,” Akina, who finished 8th at the 2026 NCAA Championships, said in a press release. “I’ve been playing Ping equipment since my junior days, and I’ve developed a great relationship with their team since arriving at BYU.
“Their knowledge of equipment and custom fitting makes a huge difference in my game and helps give me the confidence I need to advance my career and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I’m excited to be part of the Ping family.”
As part of the deal, Akina will play a full bag of Ping clubs, carry a Ping bag and wear a Ping hat in all tournaments and appearances outside of his collegiate events. That includes this week at Black Desert Resort, where he’ll continue to play the Ping G440 LST driver, Prototype Mini Driver, i240 and Blueprint S irons, S259 wedges and a PLD Ally Blue H putter.
PING G440 LST Custom Driver
The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight. HIGHLY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight. FASTER FACE Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch. SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience. FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face.
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This is Akina’s third PGA Tour start this season; he finished T16 at the Puerto Rico Open and 81st at the Wyndham Championship.
At the Walker Cup at Lahinch last month, Akina went 1-1-1, halving his Sunday singles match with Niall Sheils Donegan.
“Kihei has quickly put his name on the list of the top young golfers in the world,” Ping CEO & President John K. Solheim said in a release. “He had a phenomenal junior career, and that level of play has continued into college where he’s already received numerous accolades for his performance. We’re pleased to add him to our team and look forward to following his progress as an amateur and beyond. He’s already played in four PGA Tour events, proving he can compete at the highest level. He’s a very personable young man who plays the game with a lot of skill and passion.”
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