Emotional debut for Mirabel at Evian Championship

New Straits Times

09-07-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Mirabel Ting will be drawing strength from a deeply personal place as she makes her professional debut at the Evian Championship, which gets underway on Thursday at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France.
The 19-year-old Sarawakian, one of the most celebrated amateur golfers ever produced by Malaysia, said she would be competing in honour of three close family members — her late father, grandmother and grandfather.
"I'm definitely excited to make my professional debut and play in my first Major," said Mirabel, who took everyone by surprise with her decision to turn professional just one year before her graduation at Florida State University (FSU).
"I think I'm playing for something bigger than myself this week. My dad, my grandma and recently my grandpa passed away, so I'm playing for them.
"I feel like whatever results I achieve, whether I miss the cut or make the cut, it doesn't really matter. It's more about honouring all three of them. Regardless of the result, I think they'll be proud of me."
Mirabel earned her place in the US$8 million (RM34 million) fourth women's Major of the season after becoming the 2025 ANNIKA Award recipient, a prestigious accolade given to the top female collegiate golfer in the United States.
Capping off a superb junior (third) year at FSU, Mirabel claimed five individual titles and rose to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the highest ever achieved by a Malaysian, male or female, before making the leap to the professional ranks.
Mirabel has had ample time to acclimatise to the famed and picturesque Evian Resort course, having played 27 holes in practice, and already knows what it will take to navigate the challenging layout.
"Finding the fairway off the tee is really important. And a few putts dropping here and there would help!" said Mirabel.
"On the par-threes, the water's in play and they're long, and we have a lot of shots going into the par-fours that are like 180 yards. So just getting it on the green and making pars on this golf course would be great.
"The greens are really true and the putts can be fast or slow, depending on where the water is going and where the mountain is."
This week's start at the Evian Championship marks Mirabel's second career appearance on the LPGA Tour, having impressed as the leading Malaysian finisher at last year's Maybank Championship, where she tied for 12th.
Had she been playing as a professional at the time, that result would have earned her over US$40,000 (RM170,000).
Now that she is officially in the paid ranks, making the cut will be crucial. Advancing to the weekend, where the top 65 and ties make it through after 36 holes, would guarantee a minimum payout of US$16,800.
Also in the field is Jeneath Wong, who enters this week's Major as an amateur after her breakthrough win at the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship earlier this year in Vietnam.
The Pepperdine University senior will be hoping to make the cut at a Major for the first time, having missed the halfway mark at both the 2023 US Women's Open and 2025 Chevron Championship.