Reigning NCAA champion Michael La Sasso turns pro, joins LIV Golf

LIV Golf perhaps has its biggest signing of 2026, and it's one not many people saw coming.

Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA individual champion, is turning professional and set to join Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC ahead of the 2026 LIV Golf season. In turning pro, La Sasso forfeits the rest of his amateur eligibility, including his spot in the Masters in April.

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"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 was named a first-team All-American after his breakout campaign in 2024-25, where he helped Ole Miss reach the semifinals of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship. He became the Rebels second NCAA individual champion, joining Braden Thornberry in 2017. His junior season saw him finish with the lowest single-season scoring average in Ole Miss history (69.48).

He also competed on the 2025 Walker Cup team, going 1-2 at Cypress Point in California.

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La Sasso has cooled off a bit since his stellar junior season. In the fall, he made only two stroke-play starts and finished 18th and 23rd and was ranked 100th in the NCAA golf rankings. He played in six PGA Tour events last year, making the cut only once.

Now on LIV Golf, La Sasso will get to learn under six-time major champion Mickelson.

"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.”

La Sasso joins Cameron Tringale and Brendan Steele on the HyFlyers.

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Meanwhile, his departure could be drastic for the Rebels, which finished the fall season ranked 10th and has sights on getting back into the national championship conversation at Omni La Costa this spring.

But now they'll have to do so without La Sasso, who is taking a big gamble in giving up his spot in the Masters and amateur status to join LIV Golf to try to become one of the league's young, breakout stars.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: NCAA champion Michael La Sasso turns pro, joins LIV Golf's HyFlyers