Reigning NCAA golf champion Michael La Sasso has joined LIV Golf, giving up his invitation to the 2026 Masters. The move drew a pointed social media comment from major winner Graeme McDowell, who described the PGA Tour path as perilous. This sparked a public debate with PGA Tour professional Michael Kim.
Michael La Sasso's decision to sign with LIV Golf surprised many in the golf world. Last May, the Ole Miss junior won the 2025 NCAA Individual Championship in Carlsbad, California. That victory secured him a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont and sponsor exemptions into five PGA Tour events last season. It also earned him an invitation to the 2026 Masters, which NCAA champions receive if they remain amateurs. However, by turning professional with LIV, La Sasso forfeits that opportunity at Augusta National.
LIV Golf announced the signing on Tuesday, placing La Sasso on the HyFlyers team alongside Phil Mickelson for the 2026 season starting in February. This choice bypasses the traditional route to the PGA Tour, where paths like PGA Tour University rankings, Q-School, or the Korn Ferry Tour involve significant uncertainty.
Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion and a longtime LIV player, reacted on X with a 'hot take.' He argued that LIV provides a 'legitimate pathway for young potential superstars who can get paid to be mentored in their young careers by Tour greats and play a guaranteed schedule.' McDowell contrasted this with the PGA Tour's 'increasingly perilous' road, 'littered with great talent that never made it.'
The post prompted a response from PGA Tour player Michael Kim, known for his active X presence. Kim acknowledged McDowell's point but emphasized merit: 'I don’t disagree but the PGA Tour is one of the purest meritocracies in sports and if you’re good enough, you’ll end up playing on tour. If you never made it… you just weren’t good enough.'
McDowell replied, praising the PGA Tour as 'the most complete tour in the world to play golf right now' but noting it is 'becoming increasingly a closed shop, like LIV, with harder and narrower pathways to get there.' He further described the PGA Tour entry as a 'rat race with constant failure on mini tours and the lottery nature of multiple Q school stages,' arguing it is harder to join than to stay if skilled.
This exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf regarding opportunities for emerging talent.
