Reigning NCAA champ Michael La Sasso forfeiting Masters exemption, NCAA eligibility to join LIV
Jonathan Bachman
Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA individual champion currently in his senior year at Ole Miss, has made an enormous career decision, it was announced on Tuesday.
La Sasso, 21, has joined LIV Golf, signing with Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC ahead of LIV's season-opener next month in Riyadh. This decision means La Sasso must now foreit his remaining college eligibility, bringing an end to a decorated college career that included the NCAA individual title, two other individual wins and being named a Haskins Award finalist for the 2024-2025 season.
Even more stunning, though, is that La Sasso will now forfeit his Masters exemption, which he earned via his victory at La Costa last May. Augusta National invites the current NCAA Division I Men's Individual Champion, provided they remain amateur. La Sasso's move to LIV means he is turning professional.
La Sasso joins Mickelson, Brendan Steele and Cameron Tringale on the HyFlyers roster, a squad that is still in search of their first team victory on the Saudi-backed circuit.