Rising Australian star Cameron John has claimed a bucket-list victory in the men’s Vic Open in the most dramatic of circumstances by running down the faltering Nathan Barbieri in a playoff.
John forced the tournament into sudden-death with a two-shot swing on the final hole of regulation, making a clutch birdie-four while countryman Barbieri could only manage bogey.
With momentum firmly on his side at 13th Beach, Barwon Heads, John again birdied the 18th on the first playoff hole, while Barbieri’s putt to extend the tournament slid away to the left.
It was John’s third win on the Australasian Tour – and his second this season – lifting him to second spot on the Order of Merit, with a full DP World Tour card on offer to the overall winner.
The 26-year-old came up short at last week’s LIV Golf qualifying school, but would love to get a crack on the European Tour.
“LIV is a great tour and one I would have been happy to be a part of,” John said.
“But it’s one of those things.
“I’ve always thought my game would be really nice in Europe and I’ve always wanted to play in Europe.
“I’ve played a few events there in the last two years and loved every single one of them.”
Getting his name engraved on the Vic Open trophy alongside the likes of all-time greats such as Peter Thomson, Gary Player, Kel Nagle and Greg Norman also meant the world to John.
It was the first professional event the Victorian played as a 15-year-old amateur back in 2015, and his association with the tournament goes back even further.
“I remember going out to a Vic Open at Spring Valley and doing a little putting clinic with Steve Jones and I was six or seven years old,” he said.
“The Vic Open is something that has been on my bucket list forever.”
John started the final day five shots adrift of Barbieri, and the only time he had his nose in front was at the very end.
It was another crushing blow for Barbieri, who has had six top-10 finishes on the Australasian Tour this season but is still chasing his first win.
John closed with a one-under 71 for a four-round total of eight-under 280, while Barbieri had a four-over 76 on another windy day at the links layout.
Austin Bautista (71) finished outright third on 283.
Overnight leader Lydia Hall from Wales hung tough to win the $200,000 women’s Vic Open by four shots.
Australian Kelsey Bennett drew level with Hall late on the final day, before her challenge evaporated when she double-bogeyed the 16th.
Bennett hit her approach shot into ankle-deep weeds and could only advance the ball a metre or so.
Hall, 38, closed with a level-par final round of 72 and a four-round total of 289.
Bennett and fellow Australian Kathryn Norris both shot 73s on Sunday to tie for second at 293.
The high point of Hall’s career was winning the Ladies British Masters back in 2012.
She has spent the week staying in a tent in a nearby caravan park, which will be the unlikely venue for the victory party.
“That’s a been a first experience for everything,” said the unassuming Hall.
“The accommodation here was so expensive that it was just not even feasible to do.
“So we’ll be going back to the tent, maybe chuck a couple of sausages on the barbecue and have a couple of beers.”
