Great news continues to pour in for Michael La Sasso. The 22-year-old rookie enjoyed his breakthrough moment at LIV Indianapolis, where he defeated Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and several other stars to claim his first LIV Golf title in the league’s final event of the season. And now, even more good news has arrived for the 2025 NCAA Championship winner.
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“What a finish by Michael La Sasso. Birdies 4 of last 6 to get thru on the number at first stage DP Q-School,” Monday Q Info reported on X.
La Sasso successfully advanced through the first stage of the 2026 DP World Tour Qualifying School at Golf-und-Country Club Seddiner See in Michendorf, Germany. The 22-year-old opened with a level-par round and was outside the projected qualifying positions heading into the final day, sitting around T-30 after three rounds and needing roughly a top-19 finish to progress.
In the final round, however, he shot a 5-under 67, birdieing four of his last six holes after a costly bogey on the par-3 11th that briefly threatened his chances. That surge carried him to T-18, good enough to qualify on the number. Fellow LIV players Josele Ballester, Luis Masaveu, and Yosuke Asaji also advanced from their respective first-stage sites.
La Sasso was one of five LIV players in the first-stage field. Next up for him is the second stage, spread across four venues in Spain from October 29 to November 1, 2026. If he can make it through that stage, La Sasso will advance to the Final Stage, where he will have the opportunity to secure a full DP World Tour card for the 2027 season.
Meanwhile, the first stage of the DP World Tour’s qualifying process continues next weekend, with events scheduled at two venues in England and Sweden as players battle for a spot in the Second Stage.
Notably, La Sasso forfeited his invitation to the Masters after turning professional and joined Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC in January 2026. Mickelson personally recruited the reigning NCAA champion. The 56-year-old was impressed by La Sasso’s power, competitive drive, work ethic, and attitude, believing the young golfer could strengthen his team.
For La Sasso, the move offered the chance to learn from a legend, secure a multi-year professional contract, and compete in a team-oriented environment. However, La Sasso’s latest achievement comes at a turbulent time for the breakaway league. LIV has been dealing with significant financial uncertainty since Saudi Arabia’s PIF withdrew its funding.
Q-School gives La Sasso a backup path forward, but LIV’s situation is a different story. The league has filed for Chapter 11, buying time to restructure and hold onto control of the operation heading into 2027, with BC Partners a possible backer. For now, several LIV players are stuck in limbo, with some reportedly eyeing a move elsewhere.
With some of the tour’s biggest stars reportedly still awaiting payments, speculation is growing that several high-profile names could leave before the new season. Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Tom McKibbin are among the players linked with a potential exit, although there has been no official confirmation that any of them will depart. The uncertainty follows reports that LIV had failed to pay several vendors and contractors, resulting in lawsuits against the tour.
LIV has also reportedly laid off a significant portion of its workforce as it attempts to navigate its financial troubles. For now, however, La Sasso appears to have found a path forward. While LIV Golf’s future remains shrouded in uncertainty, the young star has secured an opportunity to continue building his professional career away from the breakaway tour.