LIV Golf announced the signing of reigning NCAA individual champion Michael La Sasso on Tuesday.
The arrival of La Sasso, who joins captain Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC, comes less than a week after PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy said LIV Golf has not “signed anyone who moves the needle.”
La Sasso, 21, was a first-team All-American at Ole Miss. His 2025 national title was the second for the Rebels after Braden Thornberry in 2017. La Sasso’s season scoring average (69.48) set a school record.
“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 has experienced team success before, winning the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup and 2025 Walker Cup with the U.S. national team.
He surrenders his amateur eligibility by joining LIV Golf, therefore forfeiting his spot in the Masters in April.
La Sasso made his major debut at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, missing the cut after two rounds of 74. Out of his six PGA Tour events, he only made the cut at the 3M Open in July and finished T44 at 11-under.
In addition to six-time major winner Mickelson, La Sasso will team up with Cameron Tringale and Brendan Steele as the HyFlyers open the season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 4.
“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 to HyFlyers GC. We’re excited to support his development, accelerate his learning curve and help him achieve his goals — while he, in turn, makes our team even stronger.”
Meanwhile, Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia’s attempt to recruit fellow Spaniard Angel Ayora to LIV Golf was not successful.
“I told (Garcia) it was a pleasure for me to be a part of his team, but I told him my dream is to play on the PGA Tour, so I’m going to try to keep this path,” Ayora, 21, told Today’s Golfer.
“I want to be at the top 50 in the world and I want to play the majors and everything, so I think the right path for me is to stay here on DP and trying to get a PGA Tour card and play there. That’s what I want to do, so I’m going to fight for that.”
–Field Level Media
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