Mirabel produces best yet

Mirabel, who crafted a career-best second-place finish on the Epson Tour, lines up a putt while Michelle looks. — Photo: Handout

A weekend 64-66 and runner-up finish hastens momentum

MALAYSIA’S top‑ranked Mirabel Ting registered her strongest performance yet on the Epson Tour in the United States.

The 20‑year‑old posted a runner‑up finish at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship last weekend – a result built on resilience, precision, and a full-blooded tilt at a weekend charge that saw her card rounds of seven‑under 64 and 66.

Mirabel endured a tough second round when she shot five‑over 76. But she responded with great composure, producing back‑to‑back bogey‑free rounds that featured “one of the most aggressive charges of Championship Sunday”, as reported by some local US media.

Her 12 birdies in the last two rounds highlighted not just Mirabel’s scoring ability, but also her growing maturity in handling tour pressures.

The second-place finish marked her seventh top‑10 of the campaign and further consolidated her standing as one of Malaysia’s fastest‑rising talents on the professional stage.

With her confidence growing and her rookie season gaining real traction, Mirabel spoke to TeeUp about her mindset, her weekend turnaround, and what this result means for the rest of the season ahead.

Q: You mounted one of the strongest Sunday charges with the five‑under 66. What clicked mentally and technically?

A: I feel like I was very patient with my game during the final round. Although the round started a bit shaky, I was more focused on my process and what I needed to do and what I could control instead of the results or trying to play well.

Q: Back‑to‑back bogey‑free rounds over the weekend is elite‑level golf. What were you doing differently in terms of course management?

A: I don’t think I did much differently, but Michelle (Koh) and I did talk about where to hit it, and she was just telling me to focus on my process instead of trying to make putts. I truly think that what Michelle has done for me throughout the season, being on the bag, has helped me a lot with course management and decision‑making. While I am focusing on being aggressive, she’d be the one to tell me when I should not be aggressive with the pins, and with this week’s pin positions being so tough, I felt like she really helped me with my game.

Q: After a tough second round, you flipped the switch. How did you reset and come out firing like that again?

A: Right after I finished my round on day two, I was lost. I was left speechless, disappointed – lots of “why” and lots of “what if” – and it was all negativity. My coach Kris texted me saying “tough round” and tried to get me to vent the round I had on the phone through a voice message before I went to bed, which I did. In the car on the way to the course, Michelle was the one who spoke to me about the round yesterday and what had happened. I think I felt more relief at that time and could just go out and play freely. I was able to put the bad round aside, knowing it’s a new day and there’s still a chance to turn things around.

Q: Twelve birdies over the final 36 holes is serious golf. What part of your game felt most dialled in – irons, putting, or confidence?

A: I felt like everything just fell into place over the weekend. I do feel like hitting the fairways is a very big advantage on this tour, and I did really well with that. My irons this week were probably the best I’ve hit them in a long time. My putting is still a work in progress, but this week, being able to make and save par‑putts, and being patient out there on the greens, helped a lot.

Q: This marks your seventh top‑10 of the season. What does this consistency tell you about your development in your rookie year on the Epson Tour?

A: There’s still a lot of work to do, a lot of things to learn on the course. The game is trending in the right direction, and this rookie year has given me some confidence to finish strong in the next couple of events.

Q: As one of Malaysia’s rising stars, what does a runner‑up finish like this mean for you and for Malaysian women’s golf?

A: It means a lot to me and to Malaysian golf – not just the ladies but also the men’s. I wouldn’t have thought that I would finish second this week and never thought about it, but it is possible if the hard work is there and you’re working on the right things in the game.

Q: With momentum building, what are your immediate plans for the next stretch of the season?

A: I’m planning to finish off the rest of the events on the Epson Tour and, regardless of the results, I’ll do my best and hopefully be able to play in this year’s Maybank Championship 2026 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.