Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA individual champion, has joined LIV Golf.
The Ole Miss senior, who is teaming up with Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC on a multi-year agreement, is expected to debut at next month’s LIV opener in Saudi Arabia, meaning he will forfeit his remaining college eligibility and leave the Rebels before his final semester.
La Sasso, 21, also had an exemption lined up at the Masters this April, courtesy of his one-shot win at La Costa, though that was provided he remained amateur.
“I’m incredibly excited to join HyFlyers GC and take this next step in my career,” La Sasso said in a release. “It’s a rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and I don’t take that lightly. LIV Golf allows me to compete at the highest level on a global stage, and I thrive in a team environment, especially one with the camaraderie and support that defines HyFlyers GC. My focus is on learning, continuing to improve, and doing everything I can to help our team succeed.”
La Sasso is the second recent NCAA individual champion to sign with the Saudi-backed league, following 2021 NCAA winner Turk Pettit, who competed in all eight events of LIV’s inaugural season in 2022. La Sasso’s signing is the latest of several for LIV this offseason, as the league has also added PGA Tour winners Ben An and Thomas Detry, plus Victor Perez, Elvis Smylie and returnees Laurie Canter and Luis Masaveu, among others.
For the second straight season, LIV also grabs a guy off the PGA Tour University list (La Sasso was third, though well behind Virginia senior Ben James, who is No. 1 and in position for the full PGA Tour card that will be awarded to the top finisher at the end of the spring). Last summer, however, Arizona State senior Josele Ballester waited until after the NCAA Championship to join Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs.
“For Mike, it was a decision that was, from my understanding, a little bit of a no-brainer and he needed to make financially for his future,” Ole Miss head coach Chris Malloy told Golf Channel. “The timing wasn’t ideal; Mike really struggled with this. He’s a team guy, and this was not an easy decision for him.”
After playing his freshman year at North Carolina State, La Sasso was a first-team All-American in each of the past two seasons for Ole Miss. He won three times last season, including NCAAs, and finished second in the national rankings. He earned a spot on the U.S. Walker Cup team last summer, too, though he ended last fall ranked No. 100, not cracking the top 15 in both of his college starts.
La Sasso made six PGA Tour starts as an amateur last year, missing five cuts, including at the 2025 U.S. Open. His most recent Tour appearance, at last fall’s Sanderson Farms Championship, ended in La Sasso receiving a two-shot penalty for “improving the conditions affecting his stroke” before missing the cut.
“Michael is one of the most exciting young players in the game today, bringing a competitive fire that’s evident every time he tees it up,” Mickelson said. “He combines tremendous power and speed with an exceptional feel for the game. Beyond his talent, his personality, work ethic, and commitment to being a great teammate make him a terrific addition.”
The Rebels, ranked No. 10 in the country after last season’s NCAA semifinal finish, still have seven players on the roster following La Sasso’s departure, though just three have seen significant action – Cameron Tankersley, Tom Fischer and Cohen Trolio.
Malloy said that La Sasso had individual conversations with each of his teammates and coaches.
“They were supportive,” Malloy said. “Certainly, nobody’s fired up to lose a guy like Mike when we’re trying to make a run at an NCAA Championship. But they understand. Ultimately, we play kind of a selfish sport, and you’ve gotta look out for yourself. As far as what we do, I could give you all kinds of coach speak, next man up or whatever, but it is what it is. I’m looking forward to seeing how these guys react. If I know my guys, I think they’ll rise up to the challenge...
“I know exactly what everyone is going to say about us. I know that everyone is going to go, well, they’re screwed now. And I love that. I can’t to go out and prove people wrong.”