McBride carded a sizzling 10-under 62 to claim a two-shot lead over fast-finishing New Zealander Josh Geary after the opening round at 13th Beach on Thursday.
And it could have been even better for the 29-year-old if only for a birdie putt that lipped out on the final hole.
Had that putt dropped, McBride would have tied the record at the Creek Course - one of two layouts in action this week - which is currently shared by his close mate McLeod and Ryan Ruffels.
"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," said McBride.
"(But) I'm going to say nothing to Jake because he's still got the wood over me."
McBride and McLeod 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 seven-under 65 after day one and Dobbelaar and Quayle were also well placed at four under.
But the man they are all chasing is the big-hitting McBride, who is desperate to break through for an overdue first win on the Australasian Tour.
"I just missed out on McLeod's course record so that's annoying," he said with a wry grin after being forced to settle for a par on his closing hole.
"I hit a nice drive up the left and was unlucky it ended up border-line under a tree.
"I had to hit a makeshift pitch up to 15 feet and made a really good putt and it looked like it was in until the last two feet, when it slipped a couple of feet by.
"I know that Jake McLeod has the course record at 11-under here yes, because he talks about it pretty regularly.
"... I was thinking about it, thinking I couldn't wait to break Jake's course record."
McLeod was tied for third with fellow Australians Mathew Goggin, Siddharth Nadimpalli, Kyle Michel, Austin Bautista and amateur Declan O'Donovan.
Brett Coletta began his Vic Open title defence with a three-under 69.
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