Cougars lead after darkness delays second round, four Cougars in top-25

KAUA’I, Hawai’i — BYU leads the John A. Burns Intercollegiate after 27 holes of play following a 23-under par opening day with Keanu Akina, David Timmins and Max Brenchley each sitting in the top-5 at the Ocean Course at Hōkūala.

“Today was one of the most fun days I’ve had on the golf course in my 17 years of coaching,” said BYU director of golf Todd Miller. “It was a shotgun start today and our team started on the most difficult stretch of the course, which worked to our advantage because we got to play the hardest holes with the least amount of wind. Once we got through that stretch, the lid came off the hole and the guys started pouring in birdies.”

The Cougars played the par-5s in 26-under and the par-4s in 5-under par, making 36 birdies and four eagles en route to a 23-under-par round to lead No. 19 Arizona (-22) by a shot. New Mexico sits in third at 14-under with UTEP at 12-under-par through 27 holes. No. 9 Texas A&M rounds out the top five at 11-under.

Keanu Akina led the way for the Cougars in his home state, as he fired a 9-under-par total through the first 27 holes. Akina carded five birdies and an eagle in his opening round before birdieing four of his first eight holes in round two.

David Timmins sits one shot back of Akina at 8-under par. The senior recorded eight birdies and an eagle with four setbacks in round one to go into round two at 6-under. After an opening bogey in round two, Timmins birdied three of his next six holes and sits in solo fourth going into the round two restart tomorrow.

Max Brenchley, playing as an individual, is tied for fifth after day one at 7-under-par. The junior shot a bogey-free 7-under in round one. After a slow start to his second 18, he has climbed back to even par in round two, 7-under on the day.

Carson Lundell is the fourth Cougar who sits inside the top-25 after day one. The fifth-year senior posted a two-under 70 in round one before carding two birdies in round two. With the 2-under start, Lundell has vaulted himself into a tie for 19th where he will begin his round tomorrow on the par-5 fourth hole.

Tyson Shelley sits at 1-under in a tie for 39th, with Zac Jones one behind at even-par. Elijah Turner rounds out the scoring for the Cougars, as an individual competitor at 1-over.

Round two play will resume at 8:30 a.m. HST as the Cougars look to hold onto the lead entering the final round.

Individual Leaderboard

*Through 9 holes of round two

Team Leaderboard (Top 5)

*21-Team Field