KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh sees Mirabel Ting as the symbol of Malaysia’s golf future after the 20-year-old impressed on her LPGA debut at the Maybank Championship on Sunday.
Yeoh, who attended the final round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, said she was proud of Malaysia’s five female representatives (Mirabel, Kelly Tan, Ashley Lau, Genevieve Ling and Liyana Durisic) in the tournament, singling out Mirabel for her composure and maturity despite only turning professional this year.
“I want to congratulate all five Malaysian women’s athletes who competed in the Maybank Championship. I’m especially proud of Mirabel Ting… she only turned pro this year but has already shown great potential. With more exposure and financial backing, I believe Mirabel can elevate Malaysia’s name even further,” said Yeoh.
The Sarawak-born Mirabel, a former SEA Games medallist and decorated amateur, impressed with her confident play on home soil, drawing loud cheers from local fans as she went toe-to-toe with the world’s top golfers.
Yeoh said her ministry is determined to create a stronger development pathway for women in golf through collaborations with the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (MALGA) and local clubs.
“We’re providing funding to MALGA to run school clinics, and through our sports board, which includes Tunku Puteri, we’ve signed an MoU with Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS) to ensure athletes can train there at discounted rates.”
She added that golf’s high costs remain a barrier for many young Malaysians, but the government is now opening opportunities for athletes to apply for direct assistance.
“Golf is an expensive sport, and many players rely heavily on their families. With this new application system, independent athletes can request funding from the ministry, even if modest, to help them progress.”
Yeoh stressed
the importance of consistent long-term policy in sports funding, warning that without continuity, golf risks losing ground to other nations.
“For golfers, it takes years to reach the top, so consistent support is vital. Golf is an Olympic sport, and I want to ensure funding for women in sports continues under the ministry. Without sustained aid for clinics and facilities, golf will fade because it’s an individual sport,” she said.
Yeoh praised Maybank for maintaining its commitment to women’s golf, saying private sector investment is crucial to sustaining high-level events in Malaysia.
“Prize money depends on sponsorship, without Maybank, we wouldn’t have world-class tournaments like this. That’s why government-linked companies (GLCs) must continue to invest in sports. Returns won’t come in one or two years, but over time they’ll build Malaysia’s sporting identity,” she said.
Also present was MALGA president Tunku Puteri Datuk Seri Jawahir Tuanku Ja’afar, who serves on the ministry’s sports board, and she said that Malaysia currently has around 30 professional women golfers, although many lack international exposure.
“We need more tournaments like this LPGA event, which offers US$3 million (RM12.6million) in prize money, one of the biggest in the region. It gives our players the exposure they need to compete at a higher level,” said Tunku Puteri Jawahir.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
