At the Maybank Championship press conference on 28 October 2026, Malaysia's Liyana Durisic described two sources of confidence ahead of the home event: her older brother Danial Aizat, who will caddie for her, and fellow Malaysian Mirabel Ting, whose progress has become an important example. The timing matters beyond this week's tournament, because Durisic is preparing for Stage 2 of LPGA Tour qualifying in the United States.
A familiar caddie and a shared history
Danial Aizat Durisic is a former Malaysian national golfer and a coach. He was also his sister's caddie when she first appeared at the Maybank Championship in 2023, then as an Iowa State University representative playing on a sponsor invitation. Their reunion in Kuala Lumpur is therefore not an experimental partnership. Durisic said that having a family member beside her at such a significant home tournament carries particular emotional value.
A professional caddie can contribute far more than club selection. Reading wind, calculating distances, discussing where an approach might safely finish and assessing the next putt are all part of the decision-making process. Her comments, however, do not suggest that Danial will make her decisions for her. It is still the player who commits to each shot.
What Mirabel Ting's encouragement changes
At the tournament's welcome dinner, Durisic spoke with Mirabel Ting, whom she regards as a golfing role model. Ting won twice on the Epson Tour in 2026, finished first in the season-long Race for the Card and earned her 2027 LPGA Tour membership. The Epson Tour's official season review confirms both victories and her graduation.
The conversation focused partly on the second stage of LPGA qualifying, which Durisic is due to attempt. What stayed with her was the reassurance of someone who has already made the move from the developmental circuit to the top tour. The distinction is important: a conversation cannot make a difficult qualifying event easy, but it can change how a competitor evaluates her own chances and manages the pressure of expectation.
The qualifying round that earned her this start
Durisic qualified for Maybank in August through the ASEAN Qualifier at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Her 143-stroke total, one under par over two rounds, secured the fifth and final qualifying place. After a strong start to the last round, she admitted to feeling nervous over the back nine and giving shots back. Patience through the closing holes helped her preserve the result she needed.
That experience gives real context to her comments about belief. The home course already tested her ability to protect a score while knowing exactly what was at stake. The coming LPGA event asks a different question: can she sustain her execution and decision-making against an international field across four rounds?
She has since won the Women's World Sand Greens Championship in New South Wales, Australia, with seven birdies in her closing round. Seven birdies should not be mistaken for an automatic seven-under round; the score also depends on what happened on the other holes.
A home opportunity, not a guaranteed breakthrough
The LPGA lists the 2026 Maybank Championship for 29 October–1 November on the West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. The course plays to par 72 over 6,536 yards, and the tournament has a $3 million purse. Durisic joins Ting, Kelly Tan, Natasha Oon and Genevieve Ling among the Malaysian competitors in the field.
The broader lesson from her remarks is practical rather than romantic. A trusted family caddie can support a consistent routine, Ting's career makes the next level feel attainable, and August's qualifier offers evidence that Durisic can respond to pressure. None of those factors predicts her finishing position. Her performance over the four tournament rounds will be the meaningful test.
