Aaliyah Kikumoto, a Texas Tech cheerleader, has gained unexpected fame after she was captured on camera while attending the 2023 Masters tournament with her father over the weekend. The 15-second clip shows Kikumoto standing in the background as cameras focused on Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka at the 16th tee box in Augusta National.
The video was posted on TikTok by the Double Bogeys account with the caption, “Somehow I fell in love with someone I only saw for 15 seconds.” As of Monday evening, the video has over 2.8 million views.
Kikumoto expressed her surprise and excitement by commenting, “Tht’s me,” in the video’s comments section.
Grace Charis, an influential golf social media personality, also commented, “OMG, it is you,” with a crying laughing emoji.
Kikumoto’s parents, Charles and A.J., were also actively engaging with comments regarding their daughter’s viral video, with A.J. expressing her pride for her husband and daughter, who both attend Texas Tech University.
The video and Kikumoto’s newfound fame have sparked discussions about her potential for endorsement deals under the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) policies that allow student-athletes to profit from their personal brand.
When someone in the comments mentioned the possibility of her NIL future, Kikumoto responded, “frrr” indicating her readiness for any opportunities that may come her way.
Although Kikumoto’s moment in the spotlight was brief, it generated significant attention and exposure for both her and Texas Tech University.
The cheerleader’s social media following has already increased, and it will be interesting to see what opportunities arise for this rising star, per Brobible.