Mirabel Ting in action.
MIRI: Sarawak’s 11-year-old golfing sensation Mirabel Ting Ern Hui deserves to be at the world junior golf competition in the US next April to rub shoulders with the world’s most talented junior golfers vying for US golf scholarships and talent development.
Datuk Sebastian Ting Chew Yew, Piasau state assemblyman and former Miri Golf Club captain, was responding to Sundaypost’s feature story of Mirabel’s exploits and her dream to be world-beater from Sarawak, saying he is all out to help the Miri-born prodigy soar as high as she could.
He will be writing to the Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah to seek assistance and support for Mirabel to realise her ambition to represent Malaysia in women golf.
“She is really very talented and very good, and I suggest that she head to the world junior competition in the US where there are scholarships offered,” he said of Mirabel who has been winning competitions since the age of 10.
Ting was also instrumental in golf junior development programme in the early years of the Miri Golf Club, resulting in two junior golfers sent to the United States for the world junior competition in 2006-2007.
Two of the programme’s products- Diana Luk and Ting’s own daughter, Michelle, were offered golf scholarship in the US after competing there. Mirabel was also in this programme which she quickly out-grew and has been sweeping top prizes in the local golf scene since last year.
Ting said Mirabel can definitely compete in the 12 years and below age-group or even in an older age group in the competition where golf coaches throughout the US will be training their eyes on talents which they could offer golf scholarships from their respective education institutions.
At the national level, Ting would be sounding out Malaysian Ladies Golf Association ( MYGA) to take Mirabel under its wings and provide her with more exposure or sponsorship.
“Probably, they do not know her yet and once they do, they will come and catch up with Mirabel,” he said.
The dynamite youngster can drive the ball a jaw-dropping 235 yards, putting many adult golfers to shame.