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NBC Sports
31-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Mirabel Ting's 'season of a lifetime' rolls into Augusta
Florida State head coach Amy Bond had never seen Mirabel Ting move so fast. After running away with the Seminoles' home event, the Florida State Match Up, for her fifth individual title in six starts this season, Ting hugged her assistant coach Ryan Heisey and then immediately took off in a dead sprint. Out of the corner of her eye, the standout junior from Malaysia had spotted her teammates, led by top-ranked amateur Lottie Woad, barreling toward her at full speed, their hands full of water bottles. Ting has rarely been caught of late, but even she couldn't escape the celebratory shower. Soaked so badly that her garnet-colored polo was a few shades darker, Ting yelled over at Bond, 'No cold tub for me tomorrow!' Ting had just set the program's 54-hole scoring record (16-under 200) while tying Matilda Castren for most career victories by a Seminole with seven. The nearly two dozen water bottles were surely a high mark, too. But Bond wouldn't budge: 'Yes, you still have to!' Not that it had much of an effect. Ting has been scalding hot this season as she's risen to the top of the national individual rankings, the margin so significant that she holds a bigger lead on No. 2 Jasmine Koo of USC (33.99 average points) than Koo has over No. 42 Paula Schulz-Hanssen of Arizona State. Ting missed two fall events to compete – and tie for 12th – in the LPGA's Maybank Championship in her native country, but in the six she has played, she's 52 under and has been beaten by just five players. In most other years, Woad would be the clear favorite for the Annika Award, given to the top player in Division I women's golf. In eight starts, Woad has one victory, a playoff loss and no finishes worse than T-3. She's lost to only 11 players this season, six not named Ting. 'Lottie's having an exceptional year, but Mirabel is having the season of a lifetime,' said Bond, who somehow must pick a team MVP soon. KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - OCTOBER 25: Mirabel Ting of Malaysia jumps for a better view on hole 7 during the second round of the Maybank Championship 2024 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on October 25, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by) Getty Images The standard in the women's college game is Lorena Ochoa, who won eight of 10 events as a sophomore at Arizona in 2001-02. Ochoa lost to just two players all season, Arizona State's Jimin Kang at the 2002 Pac-10 Championship and Duke's Virada Nirapathpongporn at the NCAA Championship. Stanford's Rose Zhang also won eight times two seasons ago, including conference, regional and national titles, though she incurred 15 losses during that sophomore campaign. And in a smaller sample size, Stanford's Rachel Heck took six of nine tournaments, including all three postseason events, in Spring 2021, which followed a fall in which the Cardinal did not compete because of the pandemic. Ting has three events left, starting with the ACC Championship on April 16-19. In the meantime, she'll tee it up in her second Augusta National Women's Amateur, coming off a T-8 in her debut. Behind Woad, the reigning champion, Ting could have the second-best odds to win when this year's ANWA gets underway on Wednesday at Champions Retreat. 'She's always been a naturally gifted ball-striker, probably the best I've ever seen,' Bond said of Ting. 'And now, she's making the putts on top of it. I mean, holy cow.' In Ting's words, putting has always frustrated her. 'Usually the more I putt, the worse it gets,' she explained. But last December she began working full-time with instructor Kris Assawapimonporn, who most notably coaches Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul, the world's second-ranked pro behind Nelly Korda but arguably better than anyone since the end of last year's major season. Ting's total reconstruction of her putting included shortening her putter shaft from 33 to 30 inches and adding a longer grip. She now stands closer, eyes directly over the ball, and grips it lower. 'Just trying to keep everything shorter so the putter doesn't affect the stroke so much,' Ting explained. 'Once I made this massive change with my putting, the putts have just miraculously dropped. I have never putted this well.' She's in an all-time great headspace, too. Ting arrived at Florida State via Augusta University two falls ago, albeit ineligible after entering the transfer portal a day after the deadline. She was cleared by the spring and hit the ground running, winning once and not finishing worse than seventh through the ACC Championship. It all came so easy until it didn't. Ting's inexperience playing on firm surfaces and in strong winds caught up to her, and she capped her season with a T-36 at regionals in Las Vegas and a T-65 at the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California. Her confidence was shattered. 'Postseason was a complete nightmare,' Ting said. 'I didn't know what to do, who to talk to, I was just completely lost and embarrassed.' Turns out, she just needed a break. Ting didn't play her next individual tournament until mid-August, when she dusted an amateur field in her native Malaysia by 10 shots. Four weeks later, she was capturing the Folds of Honor Collegiate and igniting this current hot streak. Bond admits she has a soft spot for Ting, who has navigated the last couple years without her father, Thomas, who died of a heart attack in October 2022, when Ting was a 17-year-old freshman at Augusta. Thomas was his daughter's biggest supporter, and his death forced a young Mirabel, still a teenager, to take on greater responsibility, especially with the rest of her family, including mom Ng Mei Mei, on the other side of the globe. These days, Ting leans heavily on Bond and former Olympic golfer Michelle Koh, whom Ting calls her sister and who will travel with her to Augusta this week. But much of that 'pile of stuff' that Thomas took care of now falls on Mirabel. Ting appreciates the 'kicks in the butt' from Bond, her assistant coaches and her teammates, who aren't afraid to let her know when she's being too easily distracted, or slacking with her training, or needing to spend extra time on her chipping. She also cherishes their grace. 'I don't know how many times I've gone to Coach Amy and sat down and cried; I don't know how many times I've sat down and cried in front of my teammates,' Ting said. 'The love and concern that they show me is incredible, and it gets me to this point today where I know that I'm not alone. I'm surrounded by so many people who love and care about me. It impacts a lot in my life right now. 'I lost my dad, but at the same time, I've gained this group of people.' All dry and settled in her apartment the night of her record-tying, home victory, Ting was suddenly flooded by her emotions. So, she picked up her phone and started typing away. When she finally hit send, it was to Bond – and it was 11:15 p.m. Sorry to disturb you this late but thank you once again. Win No. 7 is sweet and especially being at home. Glad I'm able to put my name on the Match Up. I'm glad for everything and where my game and life are right now, surrounded by great people who show love and support. Never thought I could go this low at Seminole with the greens rolling at a 12. I remember when I first played this golf course, the greens were a nightmare to me, and to break the record and how I played this week has shown so much improvement in my game over the years. Today I'm a champion and have won the home event. But I'm not tomorrow, so I'll keep working hard. Onwards and upwards. Can't wait for ANWA and postseason with the girls. Let's get some rings on our fingers. The only way Ting's season of a lifetime can get better.
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida State's two top-ranked players are the favorites heading into Augusta National
Florida State's two top-ranked players are the favorites heading into Augusta National Florida State coach Amy Bond found a brand new Titleist ProV1 buried in the second fairway of Seminole Legacy Golf Club during the final round of the recent Florida State Match Up. She handed it to junior Lottie Woad on the third tee and asked her to sign it. 'For what?' Woad asked. Bond figured a kid would show up later in the day to watch, and it would be fun to get a ball signed by the No. 1 amateur in the world. On the fourth hole, Bond gave the ball away to a young girl, and on No. 5, that same little girl went over to Woad to say thanks and ask for a photo. Woad, of course, couldn't resist. Bond finds herself in a unique and enviable position this season. She has not one, but two No. 1 players on her team to prepare for the next level. Woad, the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion, tops the World Amateur Golf Ranking while her teammate, Mirabel Ting, is the nation's top collegiate golfer. 'It's not very often that World No. 1 has been playing No. 2, you know,' said Bond. Ting's record-breaking 10-stroke victory at the Florida State Match Up marks her fifth title in six stroke-play starts this season. She's a whopping 52 under par in that stretch. Woad, meanwhile, hasn't finished outside the top 3 in a college event in more than a year. When it comes to favorites for the sixth edition of the Augusta National Women's Amateur April 2-5, it's hard to look past the Seminoles' remarkable 1-2 punch. The tournament begins at Champions Retreat on Wednesday, and six of the top seven from last year are in the field. A cut will be made after two rounds, and every contestant will have the chance to play Augusta National Golf Club on Friday in a practice round before Saturday's conclusion. Woad's dramatic victory at Augusta National last spring included birdies on three of the last four holes, joining Arnold Palmer (1960), Mark O'Meara (1998) and Art Wall Jr. (1959) as champions at Augusta National Golf Club who birdied their final two holes to win by one shot. The victory propelled the reserved Englishwoman into her first LPGA appearance at the Chevron Championship, where she finished in the top 25. She'd go on to finish runner-up at the NCAA Championship and 10th at the AIG Women's British Open at St. Andrews – which included a hole-out for eagle on the iconic 18th. She also helped Great Britain and Ireland take back the Curtis Cup at historic Sunningdale Golf Club in England. 'Bucket-list stuff,' said Woad, who still hasn't taken the ANWA trophy out of the box for fear it might rust. When Malaysia's Ting ran away with her latest victory in Tallahassee on March 23, Woad was alongside her teammates, showering Ting with water to celebrate. When Ting asks for a second set of eyes on the range or for tips out of the bunker, Woad happily obliges. During practice rounds, the pair sometimes need only one shot between them to save time, Ting said, because they hit it so similarly. There's a deep respect between the two Seminoles, even down to the fact that they go about their business so differently. 'Lottie is a robot,' said Ting. 'She loves practicing. She can be out there 24 hours. I think I just work differently. … That is why coach never puts workouts as optional. If optional was there, I would never be at workouts. If it's an optional practice, I would not go.' In fact, Ting said Bond called her a lazy bum last fall when she asked to miss out on some practice time. While she couldn't tell whether or not it was a joke, the comment left Ting triggered enough to get in gear. As a result, she spent more time on her weaknesses this semester, and it has paid off handsomely. 'She's putting out of this world,' said Bond of a player who was already a world-class ball-striker. Over the Christmas holidays, Ting flew to Thailand to begin working with Kris Assawapimonporn, LPGA star Jeeno Thitikul's longtime instructor. The pair worked on everything from setup, to grip, to green reading. There are times, Ting said, when she has spent two hours on the putting green trying to make 50 five-footers in a row with a gate drill. She recently stretched it to 100 must-makes in a row. Ting began her college career in Augusta, Georgia, before transferring to Florida State. And even though Augusta National felt more familiar to her than most, the sight of so many fans gathered around the first tee during the final round last year sent her straight to the bathroom to cry. This year, however, a more experienced Ting knows what to expect as she heads back with more confidence and exposure. 'It means a lot,' said Ting of ascending to the top of the collegiate rankings, 'but at the same time I'm not trying to put a lot of pressure on myself that I have to win every tournament just because I'm the No. 1 player.' Besides, she's not the only No. 1.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida State's Mirabel Ting picks up 5th victory of season, heads into ANWA as a favorite
Florida State's Mirabel Ting picks up 5th victory of season, heads into ANWA as a favorite Not one. Not two. Not three. Not four. There's plenty of focus on the Florida State women's golf team. With Lottie Woad dominating the amateur game the past year, including her Augusta National Women's Amateur win in addition to her rise to the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the Seminoles have gotten plenty of deserved spotlight. Woad's stellar play has continued into her junior season. She has two wins this season, and her worst finish in eight stroke-play starts is a tie for third. The thing is, she hasn't even been the best player on her team. That honor goes to fellow junior Mirabel Ting, who Sunday won the Florida State Match Up for her fifth victory of the season. The Seminoles won the team competition, finishing at 22 under and 42 shots in front of runner-up Illinois. Ting has made six stroke-play starts in 2024-25. Her results: 1st, 1st, 1st, T-6, 1st, 1st. On Sunday at Seminole Legacy Golf Course in Tallahassee, Florida, Ting shot her second straight 67 to finish at 16 under for the tournament, 10 shots better than teammate Kaylah Williams. Woad, who had an ace in the final round, placed third, but the world No. 1 was 12 shots behind her teammate, who is the first women's college golfer in Division I with five victories this season. USC freshman Jasmine Koo is among a select few who have reached the four-win threshold. In a normal year, Woad would have a great case to win the Annika Award, given to the women's Player of the Year. She still does, too. But Ting's latest victory has made her the favorite between the Florida State dynamic duo with less than two months remaining in the year, and she may even be the favorite over Woad in next week's ANWA.
