On August 23, LIV Golf wrapped up its 2026 season in Indianapolis, where 22-year-old rookie Michael LaSasso stunned the field. After firing a second-round 60, LaSasso held off a challenge from Jon Rahm to claim the tournament victory.
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Less than six weeks later, however, LaSasso finds himself connected to a very different kind of battle. As LIV Golf heads into bankruptcy court, a September 30 court notice links the rookie—whose selection was backed by Phil Mickelson—to one of the key groups in the proceedings. LaSasso now holds a seat in a fight over who gets paid as the league navigates bankruptcy.
Sujeet Indap of the Financial Times, who has been closely following LIV Golf’s bankruptcy proceedings, has now highlighted a new court filing on X. The filing identifies the league’s Unsecured Creditors Committee—and, notably, lists just one player among its members. As Indap pointed out, that player appears to be Michael LaSasso.
Indap attached screenshots of a U.S. trustee notice filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey under lead case number 26-20189. The notice states that, effective September 30, the trustee appointed “the below-listed creditors to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors.” Among the listed creditors is Birdie Golf, LLC, with a Nashville address—the entity associated with LaSasso.
To understand why LaSasso’s appointment matters, it helps to understand what the committee actually does. LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 on September 8 after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew its funding. Chapter 11 allows the league to continue operating while a judge oversees the restructuring of its debts.
This is not a hearing where players are required to testify. Instead, the case involves unsecured creditors—those owed money without collateral securing their claims. LIV has over 1,000 such creditors, with Jon Rahm reportedly holding the largest claim at about $7.5 million. With so many creditors involved, the U.S. trustee appoints a smaller committee to represent their collective interests. Its members serve as fiduciaries, and the notice gives the committee the ability to consult with LIV, investigate its operations, and participate in shaping the league’s reorganization plan.
That is what makes LaSasso’s appointment significant: as the only player on the committee, he now has a formal role in representing unsecured creditors during the bankruptcy process.
Six other members appear in the filing along with LaSasso, including Premier Golf League Limited, Fever Labs, Rickshaws Media, Fantasy Interactive, NEP Super Shooters, and 21st Group. As reported, Premier Golf League is the entity that once tried to launch a rival golf league. Also, LaSasso would not be answering these questions. He would be working alongside them on behalf of all unsecured creditors.
Why the trustee chose 22-year-old LaSasso remains undisclosed. What is clear, however, is that his connection to Phil Mickelson predates his appointment by several months. On June 20, LIV announced that LaSasso had signed a multi-year deal with High Flyers GC, the team captained by Mickelson.
The move came as LaSasso turned professional, giving up the 2026 Masters spot he had earned as the NCAA champion to join LIV. Mickelson was quick to praise the signing, describing LaSasso in the announcement as “one of the most exciting young players in the game today.”
Now, just months later, LaSasso has taken on an unexpected role in LIV’s bankruptcy proceedings—one that places him among the creditors helping shape the league’s restructuring.
Interestingly, Mickelson also has a financial stake in LIV Golf’s bankruptcy proceedings. Sportico reported that he owned a 0.23% interest in LIV when the league filed for bankruptcy, meaning both the High Flyers captain and the young player he brought onto his team now have financial interests tied to the outcome of the case.
Beyond Mickelson and LaSasso, however, the impact on LIV’s other players remains unclear. It has yet to be confirmed how individual player contracts will be treated in the bankruptcy or what position other players may take as the restructuring moves forward.
For now, LIV Golf says it plans to emerge from bankruptcy in early 2027, relying on a proposed $300 million financing deal with BC Partners. According to the filing, the reorganization would also give players a 52.5% stake in the newly reorganized league.
That plan will now face scrutiny from the Unsecured Creditors Committee, which has a role in representing creditors as the restructuring takes shape. If the committee confirms LaSasso’s appointment, he would occupy a seat that involves him directly in deciding how those interests are handled—granting the 22-year-old rookie an unexpected role in shaping LIV Golf’s future after bankruptcy.