CARLSBAD, Calif. – Mirabel Ting wasn’t sure if she’d win the Annika Award.
With an NCAA-best five individual titles this season, plus no finishes worse than sixth, Ting was the unquestioned top-ranked player in women’s college golf. But the player-of-the-year honor, which is presented by Stifel Financial and voted on by players, coaches, SIDs, media members and former Annika recipients, had two other worthy candidates any other year in Oregon’s Kiara Romero, who had just won Big Tens and her NCAA regional, and Ting’s teammate and world No. 1 Lottie Woad, who only boasted two wins but didn’t have a finish worse than third entering the NCAA Championship.
But when Ting, the lovable junior from Malaysia, was officially presented with the honor at Omni La Costa, she couldn’t wipe the grin off her face.
She joins past Annika winners such as Rose Zhang, Leona Maguire, Maria Fassi and last year’s recipient Ingrid Lindblad.
“Everyone on this trophy, they’re all pretty successful and on the LPGA tour, and I’m just hoping to be like them one day,” said Ting, who came runner-up to Arkansas’ Maria Jose Marin in the NCAA individual competition, which wrapped Monday.
Ting’s transformation has been remarkable. She was a 17-year-old freshman at Augusta University when two months into her college career she learned of the death of her father, Thomas, from a heart attack. Ting left school twice that fall to return home, not playing until the spring, where she won once and posted five more top-7 finishes.
When she transferred to Florida State that summer, she was then ruled ineligible due to her missing the deadline by a day. The news devastated the already shy and immature Ting, but by the spring, she was cleared and over the past year-plus Ting has blossomed both on the golf course and off it. Her sense of humor is unmatched at this level, and that self-deprecating nature has proven that she’s now more confident than ever.
That’s translated to what Florida State head coach Amy Bond has called the “season of a lifetime.”
“When I first stepped into the U.S., it was kind of scary because I was all alone, my parents were half a world away,” Ting said. “But I just told myself that if I could just practice hard and be successful, one day I’ll be able to help out my family, help out my friends and that’s what I’m trying to do, make everyone proud at home.”
Ting added that Bond has pushed her further than she’d ever thought. Having Woad on her team certainly has inspired her practice. And a switch last winter to instructor Kris Assawapimonporn, who works with LPGA star Jeeno Thitikul and has totally revamped Ting’s putting.
“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.”
After a television interview with Golf Channel and some photos with her new hardware, Ting was asked to write a letter to herself in 10 years and slip it into the Annika trophy, which doubles as a time capsule. In true Ting fashion, she revealed, “I did that two months ago.”
“That’s Mirabel,” Bond said, laughing.
But there were still two more surprises. First, the major invitation into this summer’s Evian Championship. Upon hearing about the exemption, Ting, who plans to turn pro after NCAAs, started balling. Bond quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Ting, then she said, “Mirabel, you still have to play golf today.”
Ting wiped her tears and smiled.
Then came the final gift: A two-liter bottle of Coke.
Knowing Mirabel, that might’ve been the greatest of all.
