RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Michael La Sasso’s birthdate is March 25, 2004, which is nine days after Caleb Surratt was born. That means La Sasso, the newest member of HyFlyers GC, now assumes the role of LIV Golf’s youngest player as the league begins its 2026 season this week at Riyadh Golf Club.
The two 21-year-old players not only are close in age but also enjoy a close friendship. They both grew up in the same state – North Carolina – and competed against each other in junior events.
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At one time, both were committed to playing collegiately at North Carolina State; Surratt eventually opted for Tennessee while La Sasso transferred after one year to Mississippi, where he won the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Individual Championship.
Two years ago, Surratt left Tennessee to turn pro and join LIV Golf’s first expansion team, Legion XIII, to play for captain Jon Rahm. During those early days, Surratt stayed at La Sasso’s house in Raleigh, N.C, where they share the same swing instructor, Chase Duncan.
It was during that time that La Sasso heard about life as a LIV Golf player. What Surratt told him was very intriguing.
“Everything that he had to say, it made me excited,” La Sasso recalled Tuesday on the eve of his first professional round at this week’s ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh. “For a very early start, hearing about LIV and every perk that it had and hearing him talk so highly about it …
“I asked him a bunch of questions and kind of from the start, everything that he had to say and people that I talked to, everything was so, so good.”