Name: Michael La Sasso on strength of amateur golf, belief he can win as an amateur
Uploaded: 2025-10-01T19:13:33.000Z
Duration: 24 s
Description: Prior to the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship, Michael La Sasso, the 2025 NCAA Individual National Champion and a senior at Ole Miss, talks about the strength of amateur golf and drawing inspiration from Nick Dunlap, who won on the PGA TOUR as an amateur in 2024.

In the first round of the 2025 Sanderson Farms, Michael La Sasso's drive on the 440-yard, par-4 17th travels 286 yards, finding the right fairway and leaving 131 yards to the hole, his 136-yard approach shot from the fairway lands on the left side of the green, leaving a 12-foot 9-inch putt, and he sank a 12-foot-9-inch birdie putt to reach 4-under par for the round.

Michael La Sasso sinks 13-foot birdie putt on No. 17 at Sanderson Farms

Prior to the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship, Michael La Sasso, the 2025 NCAA Individual National Champion and a senior at Ole Miss, talks about the strength of amateur golf and drawing inspiration from Nick Dunlap, who won on the PGA TOUR as an amateur in 2024. 

Michael La Sasso on strength of amateur golf, belief he can win as an amateur

In the final round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-5 18th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 18 at 3M Open

In the final round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 11th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 11 at 3M Open

In the final round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-4 1st hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 1 at 3M Open

In the third round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-5 18th hole.

In the third round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 15 at 3M Open

In the third round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-3 8th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 8 at 3M Open

In the opening round of the 2025 3M Open, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-3 13th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 13 at 3M Open

Hear Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA Individual Champion, dive into his swing journey and what makes his golf swing work. 

Michael La Sasso breaks down his unique golf swing

In the opening round of the 2025 Barracuda Championship, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-5 15th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 15 at Barracuda

In the opening round of the 2025 John Deere Classic, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-3 16th hole.

Michael La Sasso sinks a 52-foot birdie putt on No. 16 at John Deere

In the opening round of the 2025 John Deere Classic, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-4 14th hole.

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 14 at John Deere

In the opening round of the 2025 John Deere Classic, Michael La Sasso makes birdie on the par-4 13th hole.

Michael La Sasso holes out for birdie from 28-feet on No. 13 at John Deere

Prior to the 2025 Rocket Classic, Ole Miss rising senior Michael La Sasso talks about his appreciation for PGA TOUR University and the success of others before him.

Michael La Sasso on TOUR pathway created by PGA TOUR University

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In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Tommy Fleetwood's drive on the 594-yard, par-5 eighth hole traveled 304 yards, landing in the right fairway and leaving 290 yards to the hole. His 285-yard shot from the fairway landed in the right bunker, finishing 25 feet 6 inches from the hole. Fleetwood's 34-feet-8-inch shot from the greenside bunker landed on the right green and finished 9 feet from the hole. He made a 9-foot putt for birdie.

Tommy Fleetwood drains 9-foot birdie putt on No. 8 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Kevin Yu's drive on the 419-yard, par-4 11th hole traveled 295 yards and landed in the right fairway, leaving 119 yards to the hole. His 120-yard approach shot from the fairway landed on the right green, finishing 8 feet from the hole. Yu made an 8-foot putt for birdie.

Kevin Yu drains 8-foot birdie putt on No. 11 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Kristoffer Reitan's 142-yard approach shot from the primary rough lands on the right green, finishing 20 feet 9 inches from the hole. Reitan makes a 20-foot 9-inch putt for birdie.

Kristoffer Reitan drains 21-foot birdie putt on No. 9 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Matt Wallace's drive on the 575-yard, par-5 14th hole travels 288 yards and lands in the left fairway, leaving 287 yards to the hole. His 290-yard shot from the fairway lands on the right green, finishing 6 feet 4 inches from the hole. Wallace makes a 6-foot-4-inch putt for eagle.

Matt Wallace's 290-yard approach sets up eagle on No. 14 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Ryo Hisatsune's drive on the 594-yard, par-5 eighth went 312 yards into the left rough, leaving 279 yards to the hole. His 225-yard shot from the rough landed in the left fairway, leaving 54 yards to the hole. Hisatsune made a 10-foot 3-inch putt for birdie and is now in third place at 3-under par.

Ryo Hisatsune drains 10-foot birdie putt on No. 8 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Tony Finau's drive on the 397-yard, par-4 fifth hole traveled 320 yards and ended up in the left rough, with 72 yards remaining to the hole. His 66-yard approach shot from the rough landed on the left green, finishing 19 feet 8 inches from the hole. Finau made a 19-foot 8-inch putt for birdie, remaining at 1-under par for the round.

Tony Finau drains 20-foot birdie putt on No. 5 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Tony Finau's drive on the 397-yard, par-4 fifth hole traveled 320 yards and landed in the left rough, with 72 yards remaining to the hole. His 66-yard approach shot from the rough landed on the left green, finishing 19 feet 8 inches from the hole. Finau made a 19-foot-8-inch putt for birdie, remaining at 1-under par for the round.

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Stephan Jaeger's drive on the 596-yard, par-5 second hole travels 294 yards and ends up in the left fairway, with 301 yards remaining to the hole. His 261-yard shot from the fairway lands in the right rough, leaving 54 yards to the hole. Jaeger's 54-yard approach shot from the primary rough lands in the left green, finishing 3 feet 4 inches from the hole. He makes a 3-foot-4-inch putt.

Stephan Jaeger gets up-and-down from 54 yards for birdie on No. 2 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, J.J. Spaun's 305-yard drive on the 456-yard, par-4 ninth landed in the right rough, leaving 151 yards to the hole. His 154-yard approach shot from the rough landed on the left green, finishing 8 feet 9 inches from the cup. Spaun made the 8-foot 9-inch putt for birdie.

J.J. Spaun hits 154-yard approach to 9 feet, sets up birdie on No. 9 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Chandler Phillips's 306-yard drive on the 456-yard, par-4 ninth landed in the right fairway, finishing 150 yards from the hole. His 152-yard approach shot from the fairway landed on the left green, finishing 11 feet 10 inches from the hole. Phillips made an 11-foot 10-inch putt for birdie.

Chandler Phillips gets up-and-down from 12 feet for birdie on No. 9 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Ludvig Åberg's 263-yard drive on the 397-yard, par-4 fifth hole landed in the right fairway and finished 138 yards from the hole. His 136-yard approach shot from the fairway landed on the left green, finishing 6 feet from the hole. Åberg made a 6-foot putt for birdie.

Ludvig Åberg gets up-and-down from 6 feet for birdie on No. 5 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Chris Kirk's drive on the 456-yard, par-4 ninth hole traveled 314 yards and landed in the right rough, leaving 142 yards to the hole. His 142-yard eagle approach shot from the rough moved him to 4-under for the round.

Chris Kirk holes 142-yard shot from rough for eagle on No. 9 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Michael Kim's 313-yard drive on the 594-yard, par-5 eighth hole landed in the right rough, leaving 285 yards to the hole. His 273-yard shot from the rough ended up in the right bunker, finishing 41 feet 11 inches from the hole. Kim's 44-foot 10-inch shot from the greenside bunker landed on the right green, finishing 3 feet 7 inches from the hole.

Michael Kim gets up-and-down from 45 feet for birdie on No. 8 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Austin Smotherman's 318-yard drive on the 594-yard, par-5 18th landed in the right native area, leaving 267 yards to the hole. His 193-yard shot from the native area landed in the left fairway, leaving 76 yards to the hole. Smotherman's 78-yard approach from the fairway landed on the left green, finishing 5 feet 8 inches from the hole. He made a 5-foot 8-inch putt for birdie.

Austin Smotherman drains 5-foot birdie putt on No. 18 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Robert MacIntyre's drive on the 397-yard, par-4 fifth hole traveled 315 yards and ended in the left rough, leaving 77 yards to the hole. His 81-yard approach from the rough landed on the left green, finishing 13 feet 8 inches from the cup. MacIntyre made a 13-foot 8-inch putt for birdie.

Robert MacIntyre's 81-yard approach sets up birdie on No. 5 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Sudarshan Yellamaraju's drive on the 452-yard, par-4 15th hole traveled 306 yards and landed in the right bunker, leaving 152 yards to the hole. His 153-yard approach from the bunker landed on the left green, finishing 4 feet 1 inch from the hole. Yellamaraju made the 4-foot-1-inch putt for birdie.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju's 153-yard bunker shot sets up birdie on No. 15 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Paul Waring's drive on the 452-yard par-4 15th travels 314 yards, landing in the right fairway and leaving 138 yards to the hole. His 142-yard approach shot from the fairway lands on the right green, finishing 10 feet 7 inches from the hole. Waring makes a 10-foot 7-inch putt for birdie.

Paul Waring drains 10-foot birdie putt on No. 15 at Valero

In the third round of the 2026 Valero, Chris Kirk's drive on the 594-yard, par-5 eighth hole traveled 306 yards into the right fairway, leaving 289 yards to the hole. His 270-yard approach from the fairway landed in the left rough, 67 feet 5 inches from the cup. Kirk's 50-foot 6-inch chip from the rough landed on the right green, finishing 4 feet from the hole. He made the 4-foot putt for birdie.

Michael La Sasso on strength of amateur golf, belief he can win as an amateur

Tommy Fleetwood drains 9-foot birdie putt on No. 8 at Valero

Kevin Yu drains 8-foot birdie putt on No. 11 at Valero

Kristoffer Reitan drains 21-foot birdie putt on No. 9 at Valero

Matt Wallace's 290-yard approach sets up eagle on No. 14 at Valero

Ryo Hisatsune drains 10-foot birdie putt on No. 8 at Valero

Tony Finau drains 20-foot birdie putt on No. 5 at Valero

Tony Finau drains 20-foot birdie putt on No. 5 at Valero

Stephan Jaeger gets up-and-down from 54 yards for birdie on No. 2 at Valero

J.J. Spaun hits 154-yard approach to 9 feet, sets up birdie on No. 9 at Valero

Chandler Phillips gets up-and-down from 12 feet for birdie on No. 9 at Valero

Ludvig Åberg gets up-and-down from 6 feet for birdie on No. 5 at Valero

Chris Kirk holes 142-yard shot from rough for eagle on No. 9 at Valero

Michael Kim gets up-and-down from 45 feet for birdie on No. 8 at Valero

Austin Smotherman drains 5-foot birdie putt on No. 18 at Valero

Robert MacIntyre's 81-yard approach sets up birdie on No. 5 at Valero

Sudarshan Yellamaraju's 153-yard bunker shot sets up birdie on No. 15 at Valero

Paul Waring drains 10-foot birdie putt on No. 15 at Valero

Chris Kirk drains 4-foot birdie putt on No. 8 at Valero

Michael La Sasso sinks 13-foot birdie putt on No. 17 at Sanderson Farms

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 18 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 11 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 1 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 18 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 15 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 8 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 13 at 3M Open

Michael La Sasso breaks down his unique golf swing

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 15 at Barracuda

Michael La Sasso sinks a 52-foot birdie putt on No. 16 at John Deere

Michael La Sasso makes birdie on No. 14 at John Deere

Michael La Sasso holes out for birdie from 28-feet on No. 13 at John Deere

Michael La Sasso on TOUR pathway created by PGA TOUR University