Sarawak’s golf prodigy wins third international title

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Mirabel (left) and Girls A champion Hsieh Chia-Yu of Taiwan pose with a tournament official.

KUCHING: Sarawak junior ace golfer Mirabel Ting Ern Hui continues to shine in international tournaments when she won her third international title at the Hills Taiwan Junior Open at Tong Hwa Golf and Country Club in Taipei, Taiwan on Friday.

The 13-year old student of Hills International College in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia carded a three-day gross score of five-over 221 (73, 74, 74) to lift the Girls B title, finishing ahead of Taiwan’s Chen Yi Ju (238 OCB) and Malaysia’s Kelly Lo Ka Yan (238).

Miri-born Mirabel also walked away with the Best Girl Performer award.

Ranked national number five out of the 35 Malaysians with World Amateur Golf Rankings, Mirabel was actually hoping to register under-par scores but the tough course and strong winds prevented her from doing so.

“It has been a good week for me shooting consistent scores.

“It was fun playing against the winds and gaining a lot of experience. I struggled with my putting and suffered back pain on the final,” she said.

“I would like to thank Hills Golf Academy for helping to improve my game and my parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts for the strong morale support,

“I will be back stronger next year,” added Mirabel.

For her excellent performance, she has also received an invitation to play in the Taiwan LPGA.

Mirabel’s older brother Malcolm Ting Siong Hung, the number two ranked Malaysian out of 60 golfers with WAGR, finished a creditable fourth in the Boys A category after he posted a three-day total gross score of 15-over par 231.

The top three winners Hsu Kaichun, Michael Wu and Lee Jui Shen, all from Taiwan, were decided on count back (OCB) as they returned similar scores of 226 strokes.

The next tournament for the Ting siblings will be the Hills Japan Junior Open at Manna Country Club in Mobara City, Chiba from Aug 19 to 22.