NCAA champion loses Masters eligibility after taking 'rare opportunity' with LIV Golf

Every golfer's imagination is to play astatine Augusta National, and Michael La Sasso had a accidental to unrecorded it — but helium turned it down.

La Sasso, who won the NCAA idiosyncratic rubric past twelvemonth astatine Omni La Costa Resort & Spa successful California, forfeited his Masters' eligibility aft joining LIV Golf connected Tuesday.

Reigning NCAA idiosyncratic champions are eligible to play successful the pursuing year's Masters if they stay amateurs. La Sasso’s woody with the Saudi-backed league makes him a nonrecreational golfer, however, nary longer making him eligible to play astatine Augusta.

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Michael La Sasso of the University of Mississippi poses with the champion trophy connected the 18th spread during the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship astatine Omni La Costa Resort & Spa connected May 26, 2025, successful Carlsbad, California.  (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

Last year's Masters tract had 21 criteria, including the reigning NCAA champion, but La Sasso does not acceptable into immoderate of the others.

"It's a uncommon accidental to larn from 1 of the top players successful the past of the game, and I don't instrumentality that lightly," La Sasso said successful a statement. "LIV Golf allows maine to vie astatine the highest level connected a planetary stage, and I thrive successful a squad environment, particularly 1 with the camaraderie and enactment that defines HyFlyers GC. My absorption is connected learning, continuing to improve, and doing everything I tin to assistance our squad succeed."

Michael La Sasso of Team United States plays his changeable from the sixth tee successful Sunday foursomes during time 2 of the 50th Walker Cup astatine Cypress Point Club connected Sept. 7, 2025 successful Pebble Beach, California.   (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

LIFE-SIZE STATUE OF GOLF LEGEND SEVE BALLESTEROS STOLEN FROM HIS SPAIN HOMETOWN

HyFlyers GC is captained by Phil Mickelson, who was 1 of the archetypal play stars to articulation LIV successful 2022.

La Sasso attended Ole Miss and helped the Rebels to an eighth-place decorativeness successful the squad competition. He finished 2 strokes up of Phichaksn Maichon of Texas A&M to instrumentality location the title.

He defeated Jose Luis Ballester of Arizona State by six strokes. Ballester joined LIV soon aft past year's Masters, which helium earned introduction to arsenic the 2024 U.S. Amateur champion.

Michael La Sasso of the University of Mississippi poses with the champion trophy connected the 18th spread during the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship astatine Omni La Costa Resort Spa connected May 26, 2025, successful Carlsbad, California.  (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

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La Sasso competed successful past year's U.S. Open astatine Oakmont but missed the cut.

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