Geary and Kanazawa lead Vic Open Championships
Josh Geary – image PGA of Australia
The Vic Open has reached the halfway stage of both the men’s and women’s events at the 13th Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula, New Zealand’s Josh Geary breaking clear of the men’s field to lead by two over New South Wales amateur Declan O’Donovan and Japan’s Shina Kanazawa ahead by two over NSW’s Kelsey Bennett in the women’s event.
40 year old Geary, who has often shown a capacity to produce low rounds of golf, added a second round of 65 to his opening 64 and he takes the lead into the weekend when the event focuses on the Beach Course at 13th Beach.
Geary’s only win on the Australasian Tour came when he won the 2013 WA Open, but he has been a prolific winner of titles in his homeland and events in China and Canada. With the New Zealand Open now just three weeks away, finding form after missing the cut at last week’s Webex Murray River event is encouraging.
Geary has recorded several top three finishes in his own national open so he will be keen to repeat and perhaps better those efforts at Millbrook in early March.
Geary shared the best round of the day with his fellow New Zealander Michael Hendry who at 11 under is in a share of 5th place and just four from the lead.
Amateur O’Donovan has previously won the NSW Amateur title and his progress over the weekend over against a field of Australasian Tour professionals will be of interest.
Kanazawa leads the women’s field by two over Kelsey Bennett, the Japanese golfer has not yet won an event on the Japan Ladies Tour or elsewhere but she has several top-five finishes to her name.
Kanazawa added a round of 70 to her opening round of 66 at the Creek Course on Thursday and while at this stage winless in her career, she is facing a significantly weaker field than she faces week in, week out, in Japan and should remain as the one to beat.
Bennett is now a player on the Ladies European Tour and has already recorded two or three top-five finishes there and has won on the secondary tour in Europe.
Bennet finished 4th at the Webex Series Murray River event last week, so, is in good form at present.
Pre-tournament favourite amongst the ladies, Jiyai Shin, is well back in a share of 16th place at 1 under and a massive eight shots from the lead.
Leaderboards
Shina Kanazawa – image PGA of Australia
