LIV Golf did not land any blockbuster signings in the offseason, but it was an attractive destination for young golf stars.
A number of up-and-coming players have chosen LIV over the PGA Tour in recent years. Tom McKibbin signed with the Saudi-backed league despite the disapproval of fellow countryman Rory McIlroy, and Laurie Canter chose LIV after just securing his tour card.
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Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers team was the latest to bring some youthful energy into the mix. The six-time major winner said his team needed to get younger, and they did so by signing the reigning NCAA champion.
He turned down the opportunity to play at The Masters in order to sign with LIV, and he explained his decision ahead of the season opener in Saudi Arabia.
Photo by Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Michael La Sasso explains why he chose LIV Golf over The Masters
Michael La Sasso shocked the golf world by turning down an opportunity to play The Masters in 2026 and instead signing with Mickelson’s HyFlyers.
The 21-year-old said that having the opportunity to learn from Mickelson was too good to turn down.
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Speaking in a press conference before LIV Riyadh he said, “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. 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.”
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LIV’s team format gives the league a big advantage over the PGA Tour. Players are encouraged to share their knowledge to the less experienced players on their team, and putting players on teams gives them a platform to do exactly that.
You can see why LIV would be an attractive prospect for someone like La Sasso.
Michael La Sasso explains why LIV’s team format will be ‘easier’ for him
La Sasso joined LIV straight out of college, which has a team-based competition format. He’s no stranger to working as part of a collective in what is typically a team sport.
That’s why he thinks the transition to the pros will be easier for him on LIV than on the PGA Tour.
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He said, “Yeah, I think that makes the transition a little bit easier. I feel like my golf has kind of taken off when I’ve been in a team environment. For me, having a team around me was very appealing.
“I’ve played good golf as a team. I like the camaraderie, kind of the friendly banter that goes back and forth between the guys. For me to have the opportunity to come play on a team environment for a professional career, I think that’s the coolest thing ever.”
If he can learn from Mickelson and lean on his college experience, La Sasso should be set up nicely for success as a member of HyFlyers.