Conditions at the Vic Open delivered wild, wacky numbers including the champion shooting 78 to win by … 4(!)

Conditions at the Vic Open were so tough. How tough were they? Well, New Zealand’s Josh Geary shot a final-round 78 to win by four shots at 13th Beach Golf Links.

The 40-year-old cruised the first three rounds shooting 64-65-68 in the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event. Fearing he may have thrown away his chances of winning for the first time in nearly 12 years, it turns out his six-over 78 was plenty good enough. He shot 13-under-par total and beat Connor McKinney by four shots. McKinney shot 70, one of only three under par scores on the day. Kerry Mountcastle (T-3) and Ben Eccles (T-8) both shot 70.

“It’s the hardest round of golf I’ve had to play,” Geary said about winds that reportedly reached 40 miles per hour for a large portion of the day. “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 if I’d still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you’re dreaming, but that’s just how hard it was.”

Geary bogeyed the first hole of the final round but made consecutive birdies on the fifth and sixth holes. However, he made a triple bogey on the eighth hole but rebounded with a birdie on the ninth to hold a five-shot lead with nine holes remaining. He made five bogeys the rest of the way to still cruise to victory, his first since the 2013 WA Open.

“I’m super happy, obviously, and stoked to get it done,” Geary said.

McKinney’s two-under 70 moved him from a tie for 23rd place into second place alone. He made four birdies on the day.

At the bottom end of the leaderboard was Kade McBride, who tied for 40th place, the last position of those who made the cut. The Queenslander opened with a 62 and closed with a final-round 89. Yes, a 27-shot difference between Rounds 1 and 4.