Akshay Bhatia’s decision to turn down the lucrative deal offered by LIV Golf created ripples in the golf community. Phil Mickelson had, at one point, taken him under his wing. However, amid Bhatia turning down LIV’s offer, Mickelson is once again shaping headlines on the opposite side of the divide. While Bhatia chose to remain on the PGA Tour, Mickelson has moved swiftly to invest in the future by signing 21-year-old NCAA Men’s Champion. Notably, American golfer Michael La Sasso has been welcomed to the Hy Flyers GC team.

After signing La Sasso to Hy Flyers GC, the captain of the club stated, “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.”

Showering more praises on the rising golfer, Mickelson added, “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.”

Even the previous day, when the official X handle of Hy Flyers GC hinted at a new update of welcoming the new face to the team, Mickelson expressed his excitement and commented, “He’s REALLY good 😏.”

In the promotional video where the club made the announcement regarding Michael La Sasso joining the team, Phil Mickelson talked about how he is already looking forward to having a victorious run with the contribution of the newly turned professional golfer.

In the clip shared by the GC, Mickelson announced, “We have an exciting new Hy Flyer coming. This guy brings a lot of firepower, a lot of charisma, a lot of game, and could very well be the missing factor that helps us break through to get our first victory.”

Mickelson joined the Saudi-backed league in 2022, becoming the only golfer who has won 3 of the 4 majors to join the Saudi-backed league, leaving his PGA Tour membership of 30 years. Since the inception of the Hy Flyers GC, he has been the captain. And after spending more than three years as the captain, he looks forward to securing his first team victory with La Sasso’s strikes.

While LIV Golf and Phil Mickelson are excited to welcome the NCAA champ to the team, the athlete expressed how ‘incredibly excited’ he is to join the Saudi-backed league. Such a move from the young golfer signals the leap he is ready to take into the professional ranks ahead of the 2026 season, even if it means giving up a coveted Masters spot.

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Michael La Sasso turns pro to join LIV Golf’s HyFlyers GC, leaving university mid-way

The 21-year-old golfer from Ole Miss was on the 2024-2025 Men’s Golf roster for his University. Joining LIV, he has to turn professional, which implies that he will have to give up the rest of his college golf career and leave Ole Miss before finishing his last semester. He would reportedly play his first LIV Golf event in Saudi Arabia. Previously, winning by a small margin at the tournament held at La Costa, he had earned a special invitation to play at the Masters in April. However, he would sacrifice the same 

After the announcement from LIV Golf, Michael La Sasso shared, “I’m incredibly excited to join HyFlyers GC and take this next step in my career. 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.”

While the captain of the club is looking forward to ‘accelerating his learning curve’, the 21-year-old is keeping his focus on learning and improving while also striving to help the team shine in the upcoming season.