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New Zealander Geary claims hard-fought Vic Open win
John Salvado, AAP • February 10th, 2025 9:00 am
Photo: AAP
New Zealander Josh Geary has won the men's Vic Open the tough way, overcoming brutal conditions as strong winds whipped around 13th Beach.
Geary began the final day with a four-shot lead and was never headed in the most difficult round he had every played.
The final margin was also four strokes, but only after the 40-year-old had a few nervous moments on the back nine, including four straight bogeys from the 13th onwards.
Geary eventually signed for a six-over 78 and a four-round total of 13-under 275.
The Kiwi mostly kept his composure on Sunday as tempers regularly frayed elsewhere, but even he was sorely tested after carding a triple-bogey seven on the eighth hole.
Players repeatedly had to replace their balls before putting after they moved on the greens in 50km/h winds, which gusted to 70km/h.
"It's the hardest round of golf I've had to play," Geary said.
"It's hard enough trying to close out a tournament, let alone in those conditions, which meant literally you can make any score from anywhere.
"If you'd asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow and still have a four-shot margin I'd tell you you're dreaming, but that's just how hard it was."
Scottish-born Australian Connor McKinney (70) was one of only three men to break par on Sunday and was rewarded with outright second at nine under, a shot clear of Kiwi duo Kerry Mountcastle (70) and Michael Hendry (74) and Australian Austin Bautista (79).
With his partner working full-time and two young children at home, Geary has had to scale back on his travelling commitments in recent years.
On arrival at 13th Beach, he said his main aim was to fine-tune his game ahead of the New Zealand Open later this month.
But after taking the outright lead after the second round, Geary was never headed as he claimed just his second win on the Australasian Tour and his first since 2013.
"Even when you got downwind, you couldn't hold the greens. You'd have a sand wedge and 180 metres and it's going through the back of the green," Geary said.
"I was just trying to keep it out of the real trouble."
First-round leader Kade McBride started the final day six shots off the pace, but any chance he had of making a challenge disappeared when he quadruple-bogeyed the opening hole.
He signed for a 17-over 89.
