John makes up five-shot deficit to win Vic Open

WINNING the Vic Open has been on Cameron John’s bucket list for 20 years and he ticked the target off after some late final-round drama in the 2026 event at 13th Beach Golf Links today (Sunday, January 18).

The 26-year-old Victorian trailed long-time leader Nathan Barbieri by two shots when he stood on the 72nd tee, facing a par-5 that ended up ruining the Sydneysider’s dream of his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title.

Barbieri made a surprise bogey after finding a greenside bunker in two, John a birdie after crunching a driver which left just 140 metres to the pin on the 487-metre closing hole on the Beach Course.

The duo finished the tournament at 8-under-par with John shooting a final day 71 to Barbieri’s 76 to close down the overnight five-shot lead.

Heading back to the 18th for the playoff, John this time took a more conservative approach, taking a 3-iron off the tee, but still had plenty of length to go over the back of the green with his second.

When Barbieri couldn’t get his ball up and down for birdie, John sealed his third Tour title, and second for the 2025/26 season, with a putt from inside a metre.

Two trips down 18, eight shots to 11, and John was the sole name on top of the leaderboard for the first time for the week.

“It’s incredible,” John said.

“I drive in here every year. I look at the signs (of the past champions) and I go ‘one day, one day, one day. Hopefully I win before I get to another level on a different tour’.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to win forever since I was a little kid. I remember going out to a Vic Open at Spring Valley and doing a little putting with the net thing with Steve Jones. I was probably six or seven-years-old.

“Vic Open has been something on my bucket list forever.”

After leading from Friday morning when he shot a flawless 65 on the Creek Course, the disappointment on 18 is the latest close call for Barbieri who now has two runner-up finishes this season among six top-10s.

The consolation is that he has climbed to No.5 on the Order of Merit standings, while John, who won the Queensland PGA Championship in October in another come-from-behind performance, is now second, close behind NSW Open champion Christopher Wood.

The new Vic Open winner said he felt for his good mate and playing partner this afternoon.

“Obviously Nathan and I are quite close and I’m disappointed for him because he’s a very deserving winner,” he said.

“But anytime you get a chance to sort of be in this position, it’s great and you never know what can happen until the very end.”

A four on the par-5 second was Barbieri’s only birdie of the final round.

WA PGA champion Austin Bautista (71) was outright third at 5-under-par, with Lachlan Barker (69) fourth at 4-under after closing with an eagle on 18.

After playing in the final group both yesterday and today, veteran Brendan Jones (78) tied for seventh.

On the women’s side of the tournament, Wales’ Lydia Hall secured a fourth WPGA Tour of Australasia title with her steady golf and vast experience in the wind leading to a four-shot victory.

Hall’s three previous wins in Australia had been over the sprint distance of 36 holes, including the 2024 World Sand Greens Championship, but this time she negotiated 72 holes in even-par after closing with a 72.

Kelsey Bennett (NSW) shared the lead with the former Ladies British Masters champion with five holes to play but ended up in a share of second with West Australian Kathryn Norris. Both players touring the Beach Course in 1-over 73 in the final round.

Australian amateur representative Raegan Denton (70) took fourth place at 5-over-par.

Hall said putting her name on the Vic Open trophy alongside the likes of Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Jiyai Shin was a career highlight.

“I’m really pleased to kick the season off with the win. First time for everything. It’s been 18 years,” she said.

“Obviously an historic event as well, and it’s just really pleasing to have my name along some of the female major champions.

“It’s definitely one that I’ve always wanted to have on my CV at the end of my career and yeah, really pleased to get it.”

The short 90m par-three seventh hole was Hall’s nemesis on Saturday when she stumbled to a double-bogey to fall out of the lead, but today it was her friend.

After missing the green to the right, the 38-year-old chipped in for a birdie which gave her a four-stroke lead with 11 holes to play.

All four shots disappeared with Hall bogeys on nine and 11 and Bennett birdies on the same two holes.

It was the par-416th hole that proved to be decisive. The Australian’s approach shot ended up in ankle-high weeds behind the green and she needed three shots – two chips and a putt – to make it on the putting surface before one-putting for a double-bogey.

Hall gave her chasers no chance by making six straight pars and a birdie on the 18th to close out her round.

“I just knew as long as I could kind of stick around level par that would put the pressure on them and not on me to have to chase,” she said.

“I was just kind of aware of sticking around that number and just trying to play golf shots like I know I can play.”

Hall will be in action this week at Webex Players Series Victoria hosted by Marcus Fraser at Rosebud Country Club, starting on Thursday.

She will also be a starter in the four events co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour, headlined by the women’s Australian Open at Kooyonga and Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove.

“I mean, as long as I can keep doing what I’ve been doing, I know I’ve always got a chance. We’ll just have to see what happens,” the Tour’s latest winner said.

Further down the leaderboard, reigning women’s Australian Open champion Jiyai Shin climbed to sixth place thanks to a bogey-free 70 in the final round.