Finding his best form again after a patchy start to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, McBride shot a bogey-free round of 10-under-par 62 that he described as “10 out of 10 stuff”  to lead New Zealander Josh Geary by two shots.

McBride and McLeod, who holds the Creek record on 61 alongside Ryan Ruffels, are sharing a house at nearby Ocean Grove this week with fellow Queenslanders Louis Dobbelaar and Anthony Quayle – the quartet combining for 25-under the card on Thursday.

McLeod was tied for third at 7-under 65 through day one and Dobbelaar and Quayle were also well placed at 4-under as the field took advantage of benign morning conditions on the Bellarine Peninsula.

It’s not expected to remain calm tomorrow, especially in the afternoon when gusts up to 50 kph are forecast. A repeat of today where 18 players shot 66 or better is unlikely.

McBride won’t be too worried about the weather forecast, however, as he revels in being back in contention after being equal sixth here last year.

“I know Jake McLeod has the course record here at 11-under-par because he talks about it pretty regularly and I’m staying with him this week as well,” McBride said.

“I was thinking about it. ‘I was like, I can’t wait to break Jake’s course record’.”

McBride’s birdie putt on his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot 61 hit the edge from around five metres away.

“I hit a really good putt and it looked like it was in until about the last two feet and then slid a couple feet by,” he said.

‘”That was one of the better rounds of golf I’ve played in terms of the golf shots throughout the day and holing putts – it was all 10 out of 10 stuff.”

“(But) I’m going to say nothing to Jake because he’s still got the wood over me.”

McLeod’s 65 continued his positive start to 2025 which has seen him lead the three Webex Players Series events – Perth, Victoria and Murray River – at various stages without being able to clinch a drought- breaking win.

McLeod and his team have spent time reviewing his near-misses and the Queenslander remains upbeat about coming so close to his first win since 2018.

“Been in contention the last few weeks, which was nice,” McLeod said.

“It’d obviously be nice to get the job done, but it’s always good putting yourself up there as much as possible. Hopefully (I) can get one of those soon.”

“I don’t think I did a very good job in Rosebud at all, but I thought I did a good job on Sunday in Perth and last week at Cobram it was just one of those days. I felt like I played good on the Saturday again, and then the Sunday the putts hit the edges instead of going in for me, which was how it goes sometimes.

“I think I’m getting better in those situations.”

Geary’s 64 on the Beach Course was the best score in the afternoon and the best on the layout which will host the final 36 holes.

He came home in 6-under-par 30 including birdies on his final three holes.

 Defending champion Brett Coletta shot a 3-under-par 69 on the Creek course.

LIVE SCORES: www.golf.org.au; www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au

TV COVERAGE: The Vic Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.