Victorian Open golf: Josh Geary holds lead after three rounds

Josh Geary is in the box seat to clinch the Vic Open title after mastering windy conditions at 13th Beach with a round that left his rivals wondering if he would make another error.

Josh Geary golf Vic Open

So far through 54 holes, Josh Geary has one blemish on his scorecard.

Given his near flawless play, it stands out and looks so ugly on his scorecards you almost think it’s there by mistake. It was a double bogey on the final hole of his second round, when he was begging for the clubhouse, for some lunch and another bogey-free round.

It’s been his only real mistake. But mistakes can happen, and they happen at funny times.

On a day of increasing winds at 13th Beach, the type when you start a round with short sleeves under the sun and finished it with windcheaters, New Zealand’s Geary (-19) signed for another round with no bogeys and a handy lead heading into the final round of the Victorian Open.

Josh Geary has hardly made a mistake at the Vic Open

His rivals must be wondering: will he make another mistake this week?

Geary’s four-under 68 has opened up a four-shot buffer from the fist-pumping New South Welshman Austin Bautista (-15), who like Geary, has barely made a mistake this week. His problem was when he made one on Saturday during the third round, it was a double bogey smack bang in the middle of a six-hole, four birdie stretch.

In an era of big bombers and ball speed bandits, Geary and Bautista are artists at controlling their ball in the testing elements. That will help under pressure on the final day.

Geary, in particular, showed how far an exemplary wedge game can take you in links golf, and it helped his putter never looked like missing all day. Bogey? That can wait for another day.

For a man who spends less time playing golf these days and more time looking after his kids, this tournament was meant to sharpen the 40-year-old’s game for the New Zealand Open. He might return home with a trophy to show for it.

Madoka Kimura leads the women's tournament

NSW amateur Declan O’Donovan (-14) fought hard for a one-under 71 in his third round to move into outright third, with Kade McBride (68) and Aaron Wilkin (68) in a share of fourth at 13-under.

But just as Geary showed so signs of slowing with his lead in the third round, Japan’s Shina Kanazawa frittered away her three-shot buffer early on Saturday. So intense was the wind on the Bellarine peninsula, Kanazawa was forced to hit a hybrid for a 122-metre approach into one hole.

Compatriot Madoka Kimura (-9) signed for a four-under 68 to retake the lead from Kanazawa (-7), who struggled to a two-over 74.

Australia’s Kelsey Bennett (-6) and Korea’s Jenny Shin (-5) appear the only other contenders.

DAD’S THE WORD AS PART-TIMER MAKES HIS MOVE

If Josh Geary had one of those LinkedIn bios, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he’s a part-time golfer and full-time dad.

There’s no “open to work” appeal on his profile either. He just fits in golf shots when he’s not juggling the kids and tries to make it work when he’s playing tournaments.

But in an increasingly rare appearance on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the father-of-two delved into his elite toolbag to lead at the half-way mark of the Victorian Open at 13th Beach — all the while worrying about what was happening back home.

“I’d like to [play more], but it’s just the situation,” New Zealand’s Geary said.

“I’ve got two young kids at the moment and my partner is working full time so when I’m away, it’s pretty rough on her.

“I’ve stepped back a little bit the last 18 months. Once this year is through we’ll see how we’re managing things and maybe I’ll play a little bit more.”

For the record, Geary pegged it up in only seven professional events last year on either side of the Tasman. His lot in his life is common for a professional golfer: those in the top 200 in the world probably make a decent living, some are rich beyond comprehension, and the rest are all chasing the dream.

At 40, Geary’s priorities are shifting. They may have already shifted completely. But it doesn’t mean you can’t find that magic for one week, and the trajectory might all change again.

“It’s been a pretty quiet year, but the kids seem to keep me pretty busy,” he said after surging to a two-shot lead from NSW amateur Declan O’Donovan.

“I’ve only got three or four big events I play every year and they’re pretty important. I definitely try to target those. I try to be fresh, but play my way into them. I’m sticking to the same play this time.”

Geary fired a seven-under 65 on the Creek Course during Friday’s second round to catapult to 15-under for the tournament, his only sour note a double bogey on the last after nine birdies on his first 17 holes.

Josh Geary is making the most of a rare appearance on the golf course.

“It all turned to custard on one hole,” he laughed.

“It was kind of coming because I hit a few loose ones, but got a bit lucky. It wasn’t that surprising. It would have been nice to have it earlier on and finish on a better note. It always makes lunch taste a bit off.”

Two-time NSW Amateur champion O’Donovan (-13) is the best of the chasers after a six-under 66 on the Beach Course.

The young star was paired with Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert for the first two rounds of last year’s NSW Open and is closing in on the time when he turns professional.

“I’ve just had a really good run at the beginning of January and very fortunate to have a good run at the start of the Vic Open,” he said.

“I’m not going to change anything. My mate and I have been doing a really good job on focusing on our processes and staying away from the result as much as possible.”

Lachlan Barker (66) and Austin Bautista (67) are in a share of third at 12-under as the afternoon wave struggled with increasing winds near Barwon Heads.

First round leader Kade McBride (-9) posted a one-over 73 on the Beach Course to drop down to a share of eighth spot.

In the women’s event, Japan’s Shina Kanazawa (-9) heads a leaderboard sprinkled with international talent after fighting the conditions to a two-under 70 during her second round on the Beach Course.

Kanazawa’s rollercoaster round included an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys but it was enough to engineer a two-shot cushion from Kelsey Bennett (-7), who had a two-under 70 earlier in the day.

The rest of the leaders included Cook Islands’ Elmay Viking (-6), while Korea’s Jenny Shin and Kanazawa’s Japanese compatriot Madoka Kimura are part of a quartet at five-under.

Australian Open champion Jiyai Shin (-1) worked her way into the tournament after a lacklustre opening day.

MCLEOD TAKES BRAGGING RIGHTS OVER ROOMMATE

For a brief moment, Kade McBride thought he’d be able to walk back into the house he’s sharing with fellow professional Jake McLeod this week and boast about taking one of his course records.

It’s not as if McLeod needs any more prodding. He’s been in fantastic form to start 2025, but after holding or sharing the lead at the half-way point of the last three events, he hasn’t been able to convert one into his first professional win since 2018.

But for now, at least, he can still lay claim to the best mark at 13th Beach’s Creek Course as McBride came within a whisker of toppling his 11-under record.

“I know … because he talks about it regularly,” laughed McBride after a sizzling 10-under 62 to begin the Victorian Open on Thursday. “I’m staying with him this week. I was thinking about, ‘I can’t wait to break Jake’s course record’.”

Queensland Open at the Pelican Waters Golf Club.Kade McBride

Instead, 29-year-old McBride finished with par-par on his inward nine to go with eight birdies and an eagle as he vaulted to an early lead on the latest stop of the PGA Tour of Australasia.

It was a welcome return to the form for the Queenslander, who battled to his first top-40 finish at a professional event in close to a year at last week’s Webex Players Series event at Cobram Barooga.

“I had some scheduling issues throughout the middle of the year and at the end of the year I probably pushed myself a little bit too hard with back-to-back trips to Europe,” McBride said. “Then coming into the Aussie summer, it was tough.

“I suffered a bit long game wise which is unusual, because it’s generally the most consistent part of my game. I’ve been hitting the ball very average. (But) I’ve been doing a lot of hard work over the last six to eight weeks.

“It was probably one of the better rounds of golf I’ve played in terms of quality of golf shots I played and holing the putts.”

Jake McLeod has enjoyed another hot start, but can he hold on to secure his first professional win since 2018? Photo: Golf Australia

McBride holds a two-shot lead from New Zealand’s Josh Geary (-8) after the first round with, you guessed it, McLeod again hot on their heels. He was joined at seven-under 65 by Siddharth Nadimpalli, Mat Goggin, Kyle Michel, Austin Bautista and amateur Declan O’Donovan.

It’s another hot start for McLeod, who also posted his score on the Creek Course as players were split across that layout and the Beach Course at Barwon Heads.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in my game at the moment,” McLeod said. “I’ve been in contention the last few weeks which is nice, but it would be nice to get the job done.

“I don’t think I did a very good job on Sunday at Rosebud, but I thought I did a good job in Perth, and last week at Cobram, it was just one of those days. I felt like I played good on the Saturday, and on the Sunday the putts started to hit edges instead of going in.

“That’s how it goes sometimes. (But) I think I’m getting better in those situations.”

Japanese duo Shina Kanazawa and Madoka Kimura stole the show on the opening day of the women’s event.

Kanazawa signed for a seven-under 66 to lead her compatriot by one.

Australians Robyn Choi and Kelsey Bennett were a shot further back in a share of third at five-under.

“The goal today was to get out there and get a decent number in,” Bennett said. “I’m still learning every day but it feels like it’s getting better.”

Australian Open champion Jiyai Shin had a tough start to be just even-par.

Originally published as Victorian Open golf: Josh Geary holds lead after three rounds