Phil Mickelson has always been a gambling man. The six-time major champion recently took a massive risk when he signed NCAA champion Michael La Sasso to a LIV Golf contract with his HyFlyers GC, but the early returns have been disastrous.
Through three starts on LIV Golf, La Sasso hasn’t finished better than T32 in the 57-man league. The 21-year-old has been one of the worst iron players and putters on the rival golf league this season, and he’s a big reason why HyFlyers GC ranks 12th out of 13 teams in the standings.
Phil Mickelson’s Latest Gamble Is an Early Failure
GettyMichael La Sasso is off to a brutal start in his first season with LIV Golf.
After his HyFlyers GC finished fifth in the LIV Golf team standings in 2025, Mickelson set his sights on contending for a podium spot in 2026. In an effort to make that leap, he went hunting for up-and-coming superstars.
La Sasso made perfect sense as a target. The Ole Miss product won the NCAA Men’s National Championship in 2025 and looked poised to make the jump to the PGA Tour right out of college. That’s when Mickelson swooped in and convinced La Sasso to join LIV Golf instead.
The talented youngster chose to join HyFlyers GC to refine his game and learn firsthand from a golf legend, but neither of those has come to fruition so far.
In three starts this season, La Sasso has finished T41, T32 and T55. Remember, LIV Golf events feature only 57 players, so those finishes are even worse than they appear on the surface. He currently ranks 50th out of 54 players who have played in all three events, putting him four spots below the Drop Zone on LIV Golf. After the season, every player below the Drop Zone will be relegated from the league.
La Sasso isn’t showing any signs of improvement, either, as he shot a 3-over 74 in the first round of LIV Golf Singapore to put himself in a tie for 45th.
All this has been happening while Mickelson is away from the league due to a private family health matter, so La Sasso hasn’t been able to learn from his new mentor on the course.
Did Michael La Sasso Make the Wrong Decision?
It’d be premature to say La Sasso made a mistake by joining LIV Golf instead of chasing a career on the PGA Tour. After all, he signed a contract that gave him a ton of guaranteed money up front, which isn’t a possibility in the big leagues. If money is his main motivation in professional golf, he still made the right move.
But if developing his game and competing for major championships is still a goal of his, La Sasso may have wasted his best opportunity to do so. Finishing in the Drop Zone would make his journey to the top even longer and more difficult.
As for Mickelson, his decision-making as the captain of HyFlyers GC has been puzzling. His team has never finished better than fifth in the league standings, and his inability to attract top talent is mostly to blame.
Phil Mickelson’s Latest Gamble Is Approaching Disaster