As Patrick Cantlay took his time on the 16th tee at The Masters, one spectator stood out from the rest. Aaliyah Kikumoto, an avid fan of the sport, was pictured behind frustrated five-time major champion Brooks Koepka.
The image of the Texas cheerleader quickly went viral, with thousands of social media users captivated by Kikumoto’s smile.
Aaliyah Kikumoto, 19, has joined a modeling agency after gaining popularity on social media. She posted modeling photos on Instagram and leveraged her new social capital to promote the clothing brand, Princess Polly.
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On Friday, within just five days of Kikumoto’s appearance at the Masters, her new modeling deal with BSX media was announced in a joint post accompanying a number of photos.
A TikTok user named DoubleBogeys uploaded a short clip of Kikumoto at the Masters. The caption reads: ‘Somehow I feel in love with someone I only saw for 15 seconds.
The video begins with the teen Texas golf fan looking tense before breaking into a smile as Cantlay continues to line up his drive. At the time of writing, this snippet has 3.4 million views and over 250,000 likes.”
The viral sensation is originally from near Denver, Colorado, and moved to study at Texas Tech after she graduated from Rock Canyon High School. A member of Texas Tech’s Prom Squad, the teen is loving her newfound fame.
AJ Loveland, Kikumoto’s mother, expressed pride in her daughter’s viral success and her affiliation with Texas Tech.
Loveland is a children’s author and dance competition judge, and her husband Charles is an executive with Moreton & Company in Denver. Charles previously served on the finance committee for the Utah Republican Party.
