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DETROIT, MI – JULY 03: PGA, Golf Herren golfer Phil Mickelson has the Rocket Mortgage logo reflect off his sunglasses as he walks the 9th hole on July 3, 2021 during the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 03 PGA – Rocket Mortgage Classic Icon21070349
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DETROIT, MI – JULY 03: PGA, Golf Herren golfer Phil Mickelson has the Rocket Mortgage logo reflect off his sunglasses as he walks the 9th hole on July 3, 2021 during the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 03 PGA – Rocket Mortgage Classic Icon21070349
Michael La Sasso walked into the LIV Golf Riyadh media room carrying the weight of a choice that rattled golf circles. At 21, fresh off a historic NCAA triumph, he had the opportunity to play at the Masters 2026. Yet, he chose to join Phil Mickelson and stepped away from the path that golfers spend a lifetime chasing. Amid all the chaos and confusion among golf fans and fellow professionals, La Sasso finally opened up about his thought process behind the decision.
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“One of the things that went into my decision, when I was 10 years old starting to play golf, like, the goal for me was to play professional golf. Having people that have been very well-known in the golf space and are so experienced, and to be able to be a part of a team that’s with Phil, somebody that’s had so much experience, I feel like he’ll be able to answer any question that I throw at him, to have the ability to be able to ask somebody that on a daily basis, that played a very big part in it for me because not every 21-year-old has the opportunity to be able to ask questions to those people,” Michael La Sasso said when asked about why he decided to join LIV Golf and lose some valuable perks.
“So that was a big factor for me. I think so far, I’m so grateful that I made the decision, and I am very happy to be here,” he added.
Michael La Sasso won the 2025 NCAA title at Omni La Costa. He scored an 11-under par 277 with rounds of 68-67-70-72. This helped him earn PING First-Team All-American honors. His golf skills are reflected in his numbers. The American professional scored the lowest single-season scoring average in Ole Miss history. While he won many rewards and accolades, the biggest perk was a Masters invitation.
Augusta National sends invite to the most recent NCAA winner. Thus, La Sasso was all set to tee it up along with all the elite golfers in April. However, the policy is to send the invitation to an amateur. Notably, when he accepted Phil Mickelson’s offer to join LIV Golf, he became a professional. Therefore, he is no longer eligible to tee it up at Augusta National.
Fans criticized the decision to forfeit the Masters, calling it a “bizarre” loss of prestige. In fact, many said he may never be able to play in the Masters again, given LIV’s major access issues. But as La Sasso addressed, he is happy with the decision, after all, he is learning from the Lefty.
Even in his signing statement, La Sasso emphasized the “rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest players” in Mickelson, to compete globally, and to thrive in LIV’s team environment with camaraderie. This aligns with his answer at the Riyadh press conference.
Days before La Sasso addressed reporters in Riyadh, Phil Mickelson had already shaped the public narrative around the signing. Instead of issuing a formal response to the criticism, the HyFlyers captain took to social media with a playful post that offered a very different view of how the partnership began.
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Phil Mickelson’s viral post and the HyFlyers’ signing strategy
Phil Mickelson brushed aside the backlash over Michael La Sasso’s move with a short, humorous video. The five-word caption, “We’re off to a great start,” set the tone, turning a controversial roster decision into a lighthearted moment that quickly spread across golf social media.
The timing mattered for HyFlyers. The team was in need of a fourth golfer after Andy Ogletree’s relegation. Mickelson did try to convince Akshay Bhatia to join LIV Golf. Lefty has mentored Bhatia since 2019. However, he declined the offer so as to stay committed to TGL and step into Tiger Woods’ role. La Sasso filled the vacancy, giving Mickelson, Brendan Steele, and Cameron Tringale a fresh addition.
The video itself leaned into a mentor-turned-teammate dynamic. Phil Mickelson is shown offering iron tips before celebrating with a champagne toast, joking that he’ll teach his new recruit “everything I know.” It goes the other way around, too. The scene then flips in the gym, where La Sasso coaches Mickelson through squats. He even pokes fun after a shaky lift. The exchange highlighted mutual respect rather than a one-sided hierarchy.
What began as a lighthearted social media moment between Phil Mickelson and his new teammate now sets the tone for a season built on chemistry, mentorship, and fresh expectations at HyFlyers GC. For Michael La Sasso, that same spirit traces back to a much bigger decision, one that traded a dream debut at Augusta for daily access to a captain he believes can shape the course of his professional future.
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