Mexico Open: Kihei Akina’s second-round 64 puts BYU amateur in contention

Kihei Akina finished Friday’s round with a chip-in birdie, but his challenge at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open had been building well before he reached the 18th green.

The 20-year-old BYU sophomore from Alpine, Utah, produced a seven-under 64 to enter the weekend tied for second. Andrew Novak’s late charge and second-round 61 established a three-shot lead, leaving Akina firmly in contention after briefly sharing the clubhouse lead.