MIRABEL EARNS HER FIRST LPGA CARD FOR MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- The country’s top ranked amateur women’s golfer Mirabel Ting gets the opportunity to tee-off with the world’s best in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), after receiving sponsor’s invitation to the 2024 Maybank Championship. 

The 19-year-old Sarawakian, together with the nation’s top-ranked lady professional Ashley Lau and Maybank’s ASEAN ambassador Kelly Tan, received invitation from the bank to play in the event at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC) from Oct 24-27. 

Apart from the trio, professionals Liyana Durisic and Durriyah Damian, who qualified via the Maybank Championship ASEAN Qualifier in August, would complete the Malaysian challenge in the US$3 million (about RM12.5 million) event at KLGCC’s West Course.

Mirabel was elated to play in the LPGA Tour for the first time, which is one of her childhood dreams. 

“It was a dream since I was a kid, and to have it come true so soon is simply amazing. I would just want to get out there and be able to compete with the world’s best players, learn from them that week and see where it takes me.

“I’ve played KLGCC’s West Course before, the course is long with lots of fairway bunkers that can be in play. The layout requires good course management to be able to perform well,” she said in a statement from the organisers. 

The United States-based golfer, who plays for the Florida State University, recently chalked up her second consecutive individual victory at the Schooner Fall Classic, becoming just the third golfer in Florida State history to win in consecutive starts. 

The victories catapulted Mirabel into eighth spot on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept 25), which is the highest by a Malaysian since Natasha Oon reached seventh position in 2022, after creating history as the first Malaysian to make the cut at the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur for a joint eighth finishing. 

Ashley, another Sarawak golfer, currently plays on the LPGA’s developmental circuit, the Epson Tour, and is ranked 64th on the tour’s Race For The Card rankings. 

Ashley, who was the sole Malaysian player in the Paris Olympics women’s golf event in August, achieved her breakthrough for maiden professional title at the Women’s Victorian Open on the Women’s PGA Tour of Australasia. 

Forming part of the Asian swing of the LPGA Tour late year, the Maybank Championship is a 72-hole, no-cut event featuring star-studded field including world number one Nelly Korda of the United States, defending champion Celine Boutier of France, and 2023 runner-up Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who lost in a riveting nine-hole playoff to Boutier.

The 78-player line-up also includes world number two Lilia Vu of the United States, 2024 Amundi Evian Championship winner Ayaka Furue of Japan, former world number one Ruoning Yin of China and two-time US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso of Japan.

-- BERNAMA