Ting Breaks Through on Epson Tour

Tennessee, United States: Malaysia’s Mirabel Ting claimed her maiden Epson Tour title in dramatic fashion with a play-off victory over American Rachel Kuehn at the inaugural Smoky Mountain Championship presented by Food City.

Former amateur standout Ting prevailed on the first extra hole at Green Meadow Country Club with a three-foot birdie putt, sealing her first win in an impressive rookie season on the LPGA Tour’s secondary circuit. The 20-year-old had finished regulation play tied with Kuehn on 15-under-par 201, two shots clear of a trio of Americans – Daniela Iacobelli, Lauren Gomez and Anne Chen.

Both Ting and Kuehn closed with matching rounds of five-under-par 67 after making pressure par putts on the final hole.

Ting’s drive on the play-off hole, the par-four 18th, hit a tree but took a fortunate bounce back into play.

“The moment I snapped my drive and it hit the tree, I'm like: 'Oh, that doesn't look good'. But the ball came out on the fairway. I was lucky,” said Ting, who posted rounds of 68, 66 and 67.

From 155 yards, Ting nailed a seven-iron to almost tap-in distance and calmly rolled in the putt. It was an emotional win for Ting, who had her compatriot and mentor Michelle Koh on the bag. Koh has been a source of support and stability since Ting lost her father four years ago.

“I've been independent since my dad passed. I took a step back, knowing that she's here to help, she's not here to harm. She's here to help me and guide me through,” shared Ting.

Ting's victory propelled her from seventh place to third in the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card standings. Prior to the win, she had amassed seven top-10 finishes this year including runner-up at the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship two weeks ago. The top 15 players at the end of the season earn LPGA Tour cards for 2027.

Prior to turning professional in mid-2025, Ting was a dominant force in the amateur ranks and rose to second place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She was the 2025 recipient of the Annika Award presented to the leading US collegiate golfer, and represented the victorious Asia-Pacific team in the 2025 Patsy Hankins Trophy match against Europe.