Barwon Heads closes curtains on 2023 Vic Open

FOUR golfers have left 13th Beach Golf Links named champions following terrific performances at the 2023 Vic Open.

Michael Hendry (open male), Jiyai Shin (open female), Lachlan Wood (inclusive), and Nick Taylor (wheelchair) all emerged at the top of their fields, in front of a busy crowd in Barwon Heads on February 12.

For Hendry, there were no faults in the New Zealander’s game, which saw him leading by three shots heading into the final round.

Calm composure and discipline allowed Hendry to conclude his tournament with an even-par on Sunday, finishing ahead of runner-up David Micheluzzi by four shots.

“It’s been a while. The last time I won on the Aussie Tour was the 2017 New Zealand Open so it was nice to get across the line again,” Hendry said.

“It’s just nice to be feeling fit and proving to myself that I’ve still got it.”

South Korea’s former world No. 1 Shin overtook heavy day 4 favourite Cassie Porter on the second hole and ran away with the win from there.

It is 34-year-old Shin’s first win since 2021, an extended drought for a renowned player with more than 60 wins (including two Women’s British Opens) around the world under her belt.

“Finally, I won in Victoria, I’m so happy for this,” Shin said.

“Finally I did it. I have a good reason to come back.”

Wood’s Victorian Inclusive Championship win by four shots came via a five-over round of 77 which included a birdie on the 8th hole, and adapted to the blustery conditions.

“It was definitely a lot windier than Saturday, so the driver stayed in the bag and stuck to 2-iron and tried to pick the course a part,” Wood said post-win.

“Day 1, I hit driver. I was quite aggressive. Where day 2 was more about fairways and greens and trying to hold it together.”

Taylor earned 64 Stableford points across his two rounds to claim his second-straight Australian Wheelchair Golf Championship.

His 64 Stableford points permitted him to again lift the trophy, but also gave huge praise to those who volunteered their time at the tournament.

“We’ve been really fortunate in that a lot of the locals in this community that live around the course have really engaged with us, walked around the course with us and have really made it a special event for us,” Taylor said.

“We made some great friends last year that we’ve caught up with again this year and having the local community engaged with disabled sport and them coming around the course with us has made it really special.”

The Vic Open will return to 13th Beach in 2024.