Short sighted…skipping the masters…hmmm

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/47672389/michael-la-sasso-joins-liv-golf-forfeits-masters-eligibility

Guaranteed cash vs the grind of post college pro golf. Should have waited a year or 2

Actually not a bad approach for a young golfer cutting his teeth in the pro game.

Go get your guaranteed bag while playing in tourneys with no cuts. Work on your game and play LIV until your contract is up and by then you'll still be young enough to play elsewhere.

Sure, get the money now. But your chances of majors, making the PGA, etc. are greatly reduced going this route.

Plus no one watches LIV. He'll play there and no one will know who he is in 5 years.

I understand him taking the $$$. Most of these NCAA champs fade quickly into obscurity. The Brysons and Tigers and Luke Donalds are very much the exceptions vs the rule. That said, he's not much of an add for LIV; that payday likely didn't have to be a big #

aggiebonzo said:

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MC's at Sanderson Farms, Barracuda, Rocket Mortgage, and the John Deere playing on sponsor invites. I can see why he would want to play in no cut events…

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I feel like I follow golf well, but my first thought when I heard this story on PGA Radio yesterday was "who?".

Yeah, the guy's going to get some good cash right away, but Colt Knost spent some time talking about how this makes it harder for him to join the PGA Tour if it comes to that a few years down the road. If LIV gave him enough money, maybe he doesn't really care.

With Surratt, Puig, Ballester the Augusta pisser, McKibbon and this guy, LIV no doubt has signed some young players with top level future potential. But as of now it's just potential.

The other problem is that none of them move the needle because nobody knows them yet and haven't seen them in the winners circle on the big stages. Playing in LIV will continue to keep that a reality no matter how many times they win.

But, taking a pretty good chunk of change that young and having plenty of time left in your career to do whatever you want is probably pretty appealing.

Duckhook said:

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I feel like I follow golf well, but my first thought when I heard this story on PGA Radio yesterday was "who?".

Yeah, the guy's going to get some good cash right away, but Colt Knost spent some time talking about how this makes it harder for him to join the PGA Tour if it comes to that a few years down the road. If LIV gave him enough money, maybe he doesn't really care.

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I think that's most golf fans. College golf just doesn't register for the vast majority of them.

I get what LIV is trying to do but college golfers just don't have the name recognition that other college athletes have. Unless he somehow gets in and makes a run in a major, he will remain a complete unknown, whose biggest splash for the foreseeable future, ironically enough, may be this.

Which is the case for an overwhelming majority of college golfers who try and grind it out on the KFT, playing Monday qualifiers, and living on sponsor exemptions.

Chances are he's no different so he struck while he could.

Ag_07 said:

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Which is the case for an overwhelming majority of college golfers who try and grind it out on the KFT, playing Monday qualifiers, and living on sponsor exemptions.

Chances are he's no different so he struck while he could.

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No doubt that the grind is real and a bunch of guys flame out. But that's always been what pro golf is and partly why I'm fascinated with it.

Since I'm just a fan and not these guys' agent or accountant, my admiration will be reserved for the guys who put in the work.

What if he just pissed away his only chance to ever compete at the Masters?

He won the individual title, wonder how well he can do at team golf? Phil as a mentor will help.

Was really hoping he would join the Ironheads. Could have been the spark they needed to win it all this year.

AustinCountyAg said:

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Marauder Blue 6 said:

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What if he just pissed away his only chance to ever compete at the Masters?

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What if he would have pissed away his only chance of making GUARANTTED 7 figures by not joining LIV?

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100% agree. Let's say he 'only' makes 5-10 mil this year, more than most people here have made in a lifetime of work. It's just playing golf for a living, go with who pays the most, easy decision.

98Ag99Grad said:

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Was really hoping he would join the Ironheads. Could have been the spark they needed to win it all this year.

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Ironheads are no more! Enter Korean Golf Club!

Tha last NCAA men's individual golf champion that became a big name player was Bryson back in 2015. Since Tiger won it back in 1996, there have been only about 6-7 players who made it on the PGA tour for several years or became a top player.

Yet another reason LIV doesn't deserve OWGR points (at least not in any amount approximating the tour). Can't simultaneously argue you gotta take the guaranteed spot (presumably for multiple years) in the small, closed shop tour because most guys in your position never sniff the PGA tour and claim you deserve to be treated the same.

He gotta make his money now before his back goes out.

LIV having to hunt the bargain bin now.

He doesn't move the needle but I do miss Hatton.

Some highlights from Tyrrell Hatton today about his Christmas break:

“I was 204 pounds, which at 5ft 8 is aggressive."

"I had a Guinness tap in the house, which was enjoyable."

“I was turning like the Titanic. My backswing was shorter than Jon's."

More:https://t.co/W6539u2LTT pic.twitter.com/CrNDlJVonO

— Ben Parsons (@_benparsons) January 22, 2026

He has an ugly f'ing swing. That I know.