In-form Zubair takes over as country’s new men’s No. 1
MALAYSIA’S top-ranked amateur golfer, Mirabel Ting, raised the bar in terms of the world rankings when she climbed to third in the global standings this week.
That highest amateur world ranking by any Malaysian came on the back of her comprehensive triumph in the Collegiate Invitational at Guadalajara Country Club.
In the men’s section, there was a massive change too when Zubair Firdaus leaped 146 places up the standings to take sole possession of Malaysia’s No. 1 ranking.
Debuting as the country’s No. 1 in the category, Zubair finished in a tie for fifth place at the Southwestern Invitational, also on the US Collegiate circuit.
Those two apart, there wasn’t much else change in the nation’s amateur rankings.
For Mirabel, though, this was just a continuation of her superb form, carried into 2025 from last year when she duly announced her prowess to the world of golf.
Anson Yeo still up there in the mix.
The Florida State University’s rising star finished in a tie for 12th in the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship, hosted at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club last October. That was an outstanding performance by one of Malaysia’s brightest prospects.
The Guadalajara victory in Mexico was another sound showing from the Miri player, as she won by half a dozen shots.
She carded a six-under 204 after rounds of 69, 69 and 66, which left Lottie Woad as the runner-up and Amanda Sambach in third place, another stroke back on 211.
Zubair’s outing at the Southwestern Invitational in Thousand Oaks, California, was similarly impressive, despite a tie for fifth sounding rather off the mark.
Indeed, his three-under-par 210 total was just two shots off the winner and one stroke behind a three-way tie for runner-up.
That effort saw the San Jose State University-based Zubair move into the top Malaysian spot at 330th in the world – the 146-place climb doing justice to a fine week out on the course.
This was also his first telling outing since his win at the 2024 Alister Mackenzie Invitational towards the end of last year.
Farez Azihan slipped to second in the rankings, while Anson Yeo was third and Andrew Yap fourth.
