MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

October 27, 2026

Genevieve Ling

Kelly Tan

Natasha Oon

Mirabel Ting

Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon everyone, welcome to the Maybank Championship 2026. We have with us for this press conference four Malaysian Angels, from left Genevieve Ling, next Kelly Tan, Natasha Oon, and Mirabel Ting.

I'm going to start with a question for all four ladies. What does it mean for to you play on home soil in a tournament, an LPGA event that is sponsored by a Malaysian company? Start with Gen.

GENEVIEVE LING: For me, obviously playing at home, like this is literally home, so this is always the event that I look forward to, and I'm so glad to be able to compete this year.

I'm just excited.

And obviously for us having Maybank sponsoring this event, it's huge for us every single year because it's something we all look forward to, so I hope that it continues.

KELLY TAN: I'm the OG. I would say this event is -- used to be life-changing event for me, because back when Sime Darby was a sponsor, I think they had a program for junior development, and back then I think there were 20 or 25 ladies.

And some of us have gone overseas and played on Tour and I feel like between the gap of the Sime Darby LPGA and the Maybank there were, what, six or eight years of no LPGA events. It's really good to see Maybank is coming back to support women golf.

I really feel like Malaysian golf needs that and maybe give the younger generation clearer direction or a motivation to want to play with the best in the world.

At least that was how I felt when I played my first LPGA event. So it's good to see. But this is towards the end of my career and I'm happy to be here.

NATASHA OON: I will say that having an event in Malaysia that is top level has -- for many years, especially with a break -- has produced like a lot of great golfers. Like I'm following Mirabel's career and her college and like she has dominated collegiately and I've done well collegiately and I was able to get my card and be here and Kelly the one who paved the path for us and we had programs and everything.

So I'm just kind of like really grateful because I know how much it takes to hold a tournament, let alone fund a tournament, let alone get all these girls out here. We're always training with competing with the best and giving chances to girls that are coming. So I just think it's going to grow us as a community and as a sport, and it just really goes to show what we can achieve as a country.

So, yeah.

MIRABEL TING: I think ya'll kind of answered the question, so...

THE MODERATOR: What do you think?

MIRABEL TING: I think the same thing.

THE MODERATOR: In your own words.

MIRABEL TING: What was the question again?

THE MODERATOR: What does it mean to you to play on home soil in an LPGA event sponsored by a Malaysian company?

MIRABEL TING: Definitely exciting. Like Kelly, Gen, and Natasha said, they used to have the Sime Darby LPGA here few years ago, and I'm sure Natasha and Kelly played; I was there 2017, and to be able to wish, hope myself to be there one day I would say dream come true.

And also for a lot of like Malaysian girls to be able to play at home soil and the crowd cheering for every one of us, it's kind of memorable for all of us. At the same time, we're trying to do our best and try to play well and of course not to expect. You know what happens. So, yeah. Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Just I think three of you are KLGCC ambassadors. Anyway, just your thoughts on the golf course, the West Course, and what it takes to score here. Mirabel, you've done well. I think you've all done well here before. Natasha, I'm not sure how often played here. Just your thoughts on the course after the practice. We'll start with Mirabel now.

MIRABEL TING: I think the conditions this year is -- it's a little bit different from the past two years that I played. It's a lot wet than the previous year that I played and the greens are very receptive. We can spin ball on the green, you know, and last year was just rock hard, whereas just like when you hit it just go. So this year is a little bit different, and I think we'll see couple low scores this year.

NATASHA OON: Hi. I actually haven't been playing since like 2023 here, so coming back feels like a long time. But I'm very comfortable, so that's nice. I grew up here, I played this course a couple times, played the East Course a couple times, and I got to say hi to everyone who was a marshal and caddie and everything.

The course itself, I'm very impressed, even though it was a bit wet, but I think it's been raining a lot. I think I was impressed with how they're rolling because it means the course drains well. Yeah, but, I mean, the rain doesn't let up and you can feel it in the fairway. It's kind of a little mushy. But, I mean, that just means you got to be a better ball-striker.

So I think it's a good test for someone in tropical conditions for sure.

KELLY TAN: Yeah, I totally agree with Natasha. I think KLGC tests the whole sum of your game. You can't just be a bomber. You have to be pretty accurate as well because there are a few short holes you can really take advantage of, especially coming down the stretch.

And obviously you got to putt well. Yeah, the course is in amazing condition. They closed the course down for us a week prior to this just to prep. In the previous years I've never actually been here, so I was very impressed with the work they have done because I've always come from whether it's an Asian event or coming back from North America.

So, yeah, I'm excited to play. I know the course is going to be amazing. The weather has turned out great for us, and hopefully it stays this way and hopefully we can blow some of the rain way. That would be good.

Yeah, it's going to be a low-scoring week I think.

GENEVIEVE LING: So I think similar to what Kelly was saying, usually we travel a lot on Tour, so I don't think I played in KLGCC before a month before it reopened. It's very nice to see the way it's been treated over the closure. Obviously they've had a lot of issues with the haze and everything, and I was listening to Adam, the manager, talk about how it affects the grass growing.

I think it's in great condition and I think everybody is going enjoy playing it. Hopefully the rain stays away. But I think in terms of playing well on this golf course, like everybody said you kind of need all aspects of your game, but I think it's also a lot of course management.

I think at this point all the girls have played here a couple times so we kind of know where the pins are going to be, but knowing where you need to attack the pin and from which angle is going to give a huge advantage.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Hi, girls. Good to see you again. Okay, if there is one part of your game that you can improve before Thursday what would it be?

NATASHA OON: I can go. I already know. Putting, yeah. If you look at my stats for the year, you know, save three putts, could have changed my year for sure every single round.

Putting for sure, yeah.

MIRABEL TING: Putting too. Yeah, again, could have saved couple shots throughout my season. Still working on it, trying to improve it. Hopefully this week it will be a lot better.

KELLY TAN: I think my answer is going to be a little -- no, not putting. I haven't competed a lot this year. For me it's more the mental state. I'm not sure how I'm going feel on Thursday because I'm sure I'll be anxious but I'm excited at the same time.

So I think just keeping myself calm this week will really help. There is a lot of noise in my head already, so I just need to stay within myself.

GENEVIEVE LING: For me it's hard to say one specific part but my game has change a lot from last year. I've seen a new coach and just been going through a lot of things with my swing. I am very happy with where it is now, so I think it's just putting it into play and just choosing good targets.

Q. Hi, this question is for Mirabel. You had such an amazing rookie season so far. Can you share a bit what's the most valuable aspect you've taken away from that?

MIRABEL TING: I think both putting and mental game, because I grew up not having issues hitting golf balls, but my weakness was always on putting and trying to expect too much, trying to play well and prove it to people.

I think after half of the season I kind of realized that I don't play golf for people; I play golf for myself. I love the game of golf. So to be able to get out and play and do the things that I love and not sitting down doing nothing, I'm really grateful for it.

So I just keep in mind for me it's more grateful and knowing things are going to be okay. Have faith; just keep playing. Keep looking forward. For me it's just more that. I think after the half of the season, things just changed and things got a lot better.

Q. One more question for Natasha. You said your last time here was about 2022 or 2022 up until now it's 2026. Can you share a bit like how your growth has been from then and how you are bringing it to this week?

NATASHA OON: Well, like I went through a lot in those three years. I don't know if I should -- should I like go through a whole timeline or just like --

Q. Whichever is comfortable for you.

NATASHA OON: Basically I had an injury. I felt it actually like the last Maybank I played in. It was kind of there but I just was like, I don't really know if it's that serious. And then I kind of played on it and it got really bad towards the end of the year. I was like, okay, guess we got to check it out. Then it kind of became unsolvable. And then I had surgery. And then I had nerve issues because crutches, instability, and I just was like this rock and push and tumble, push and tumble type of thing.

You know, I got to live without golf in my life and I think in a sense I'm grateful because I -- I have a big chunk of my life that like I never had that. So I got experience myself in situations where I don't introduce myself as a like golfer. So I got to know myself as a person and that's so important.

I made so many friends. So many friends in my area and I am so, so grateful when you go back in my off week that I get to have a community around me that's not revolved around my job. You can play bad and they're like, oh, sorry. Want to go get boba? You're like, yeah. You know, yeah.

So I think at the end of the day I'm coming back, I'm still nervous. There is a lot of crowds. People know who I am. I'm like, hey, I'm back, like what's up, you know. People are very I think curious to see how I'm doing.

But it's so nice to see so many familiar faces, and they're all so supportive. I just feel like I come back and I'm more comfortable. Last time when I was playing it was more like I really have to do well. I really have to perform. I really have to show what I've learned.

Now I'm just like, I'm just going to show up, see what happens, it is what it is. And, yeah, just have a good time. So, yeah.

Q. Hi, question is for Kelly. If you had to name one specific green or tee shot on the KLGCC West Course where you know a local wind draft or green break that international players consistently misread, which one would it be?

KELLY TAN: I'm not going to tell them.

Q. Good answer. That's what I was hoping.

KELLY TAN: Let me think. I don't know. On the East Course I think we used to -- 15th hole has always been very difficult with the wind direction, but I don't think on the West Course we have a hole like that.

But I know on six people generally don't hit enough clubs because it's so elevated. We're hitting long clubs and it's tough to stop.

I always take long as a miss for number six. Other than that, I don't know if there is a green or specific break that is different. Sorry. (Smiling.)

Q. It's fine. I'm not playing.

KELLY TAN: There is one. I just won't tell.

Q. Okay. Another question for Natasha. Your social media, breath of fresh air. Love it. What made you decide to show that unglamorous side of living on Tour, making videos on the plane and stuff like that? Is that your coping mechanism to decompress?

NATASHA OON: I mean, I doom scroll a lot. You have that. I really love editing. I think that's really fun. I also had that moment where I holed out and laid down and a lot of people knew me for that. I was like, I have to leverage this opportunity somehow, and I did.

I started recording myself, because everyone was like your personality. I was like, what about my game? Anyway, yeah, I mean, I think I just want to show girls out there that it's really -- there is so much more behind the score. There really is. It's so cutthroat out there.

I feel like life on Tour is so nice and then it's not and you feel like your whole world is crashing. Is this it? Is this it? Because you pay so much to be here and you have to make it back.

When I explain the job to normal people, they're like, wow, so you don't even know if you're going to get paid that week? I'm like, no. You're losing money if you don't make the cut.

I just feel like I'm using it as a way to practice looking at the bright side of things, because if you kind of see it through only external like circumstances, like, okay, it's a good week because I did this. It's a good week because I made this. It's a good week because I won this. You're never going control how you feel.

I'm using social media as a way to share, first of all, ways to look at things. If there is a girl coming up and she's playing junior golf and feeling so hard on herself or losing every week, I'm like, you don't even know what's going to come for you when you're older. Like I don't think I was that good when I was a junior golfer.

KELLY TAN: You don't even know.

NATASHA OON: Ad lib. You don't even know. But like they're all deposits in the bank, and one switch is going to just turn your whole game around and you don't know when that's coming. You got to always reflect on the good things and also reflect on the bad things, and just take them and decide next.

So I always love that, yeah.

Q. Kelly, you first joined the LPGA Tour in 2014. Speak to how much you've seen women's golf change and grow and especially the globalization of the game.

KELLY TAN: That question, I'm very proud, 2014. I just kind of show my age here. Yes, Malaysian golf has grown a ton, especially on the women's side. I would say back when I played the Sime Darby there were 20 girls in the program and I made it to the LPGA Tour and probably five or six of them were playing in Asia and a couple in LET.

And now I honestly can't tell you exactly the numbers of girls that are playing professionally, which I was actually pretty shocked when I played the ladies just a month ago, just seeing so many ladies professional golfer in Malaysia, because back then it was just a handful of us.

And obviously it's awesome to see them doing great. Well, amazing. To finish first on the Order of Merit is not easy. I've been out there. So when I said you don't even know, you just got threw in the deep end of the pool. Now you got to swim all the way back.

So I'm proud to see that the girls that put in the work and have shown their results and putting Malaysia on the map. I feel like I'm already towards the end of that career and I feel very proud for them and for Malaysia as a whole.

Q. Mirabel, quick question for you. Obviously you had a phenomenal year on Epson this year. That's not the most glamorous schedule, traveling all around the United States. Can you speak to how you think that prepared you for what life on the LPGA is going to be?

MIRABEL TING: Not when I have a 16-hour drive with a punctured tire. Well, it was a lot of driving this year. I mean, I think I calculated at the end of Epson we drove around close to 300 hours for the entire season.

To be able to get enough sleep, it's very important. To rest well, to kind of know your body conditions for your time management, workouts, stretch, see physios and everything.

And so I think on Epson I kind of learned that. And it's like not just one day and I get everything. It's just like day by day kind of go out there and try and connect with people, get to know other people, trying to, you know, know what's what.

During like my first couple of events on Epson I was lost. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how Teamwork was operating, so it did give me a lot of problems. Missing couple rookie meetings, couple of --

NATASHA OON: Teamwork is the app that organizes signups and everything.

MIRABEL TING: Yeah. Got couple fines from Epson. So it was definitely a learning experience for me.

To be able to put it for the LPGA next year, it's something that I'm going to be a little more aware of, yeah.

Q. Kelly, you mentioned there is a lot of noise in your head now. How are you going to sort of the center yourself mentally on Thursday? I think this question will also go for the rest of you. You're going to play with international players here. How are you going to handle the mental game?

KELLY TAN: I guess playing against the other players is not that big of a distraction I would say, because that's all we've done on Tour. So you see them all the time and we're all friends.

In terms of noise between the six inches of my head, I have a lot of people with me this year. I have family and I have friends and I have fans that have become friends. So I don't know. Not staying on the golf course is going to help me. Going to dinners, have a matcha, I don't know, will help me.

But I think I'm very conscious about this. I've gone through this noisy piece of Kelly Tan 2.0 in me for a while. I've learned to deal with it.

I should say I'm welcoming it more than before because I wouldn't -- I would never tell people that, hey, I'm anxious or nervous or I can't really control my thoughts. I think I've started to talk about it and it just seems like normal to me.

So, yeah, I think I'm doing fine. I just -- it would just take me a couple holes to settle in just because I haven't been in the environment for a while. But I'm excited for the anxiousness on day one.

GENEVIEVE LING: So I think for me, last year was my first year playing the Maybank Championship, and obviously I've been playing overseas a lot. I've had people watch me, come watch me from wherever, even in Europe which is crazy. I've built a little bit of a following since the COVID, and coming back and actually having that many people on Thursday morning come up to the ten tee and like have 50 people surrounding a tee box, go Gen, I was very surprised and very grateful.

But I also realized like I have never had that opportunity, and I feel like I actually strive better in that opportunity, like playing in front of people and knowing that people are there to support me. That just makes me want to do better.

Obviously I think we all always want to do good and there is a fine line between like trying too hard and being like, I want to do good and also just trusting yourself. For me it's just trusting myself and also just riding off the energy of the crowd. On 18 it's amazing when you're going down to the putting green and like everybody and shouting your name cheering your name and you make a putt and they cheer.

So I think that is something that almost be appreciative of it.

NATASHA OON: I've played with these girls the whole year literally, so I'm not like that out of the pond I guess -- fish out of water. I'm not sure what that means. The last time I played here, '23, I was like Epson going on LPGA, and then this was like the top LPGA people so I was very nervous. I was like, okay, this is what I'm going to be dealing with next year, blah, blah, blah.

But this moment I'm just kind of like, I've dealt with this the whole year so I'm not too nervous about it. I mean, I'm more comfortable than I am in the States because I grew up with these conditions. You know, so I'm not -- I don't know, I'm just like -- I think I'm just chill this week. Yeah, hi, guys. Haven't seen you in a long time. Just enjoy it.

You don't really get that the whole year.

MIRABEL TING: I think to me things shouldn't change because of how big is the event, on how different it is on Epson, on the LPGA being on the China Tour. I feel like we are still playing and we are still doing our best. Back in like my first year of the Maybank Championship in 2024, I wouldn't say I was nervous but I was just more because I was an amateur and I wasn't really thinking a lot.

And the crowd on 18 was wild. I think I was more scared than happy I would say. And then last year it got a little bit better but it was like my professional debut and so expectations changed. When I expect I don't play really well, so this year just going to go out there and play. Not going think. Things still going to be the same.

I have Michelle, my sister on the bag this year, so I'm just super excited to actually go out there and have fun with her.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, thank you ladies and good luck this week out on the course.