Rod Pampling carded a course-record 61 Sunday at the Australian Open with a 60-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole that earned him one of three available spots in next year’s Open Championship.
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Australia’s Matthew Jones poses with the 2015 Australian Open golf trophy after winning the tournament in Sydney on Sunday. “But either way it’s a lot better than it was through the first four holes”.
At seven under for the tournament, the U.S. Open and Masters champion will start the day three shots behind the Australian, but thinks he might be able to find another gear for the final 18 holes. Australian Rhein Gibson was in third after a 68, five behind.
He smashed the previous course record of 63 at The Australian set by Spieth during the final round past year while winning the Open by six strokes, when Pampling was runner-up.
MAGNETIC major victor Jason Day has already expressed his eagerness to headline the Australian Open next year when it shifts to Royal Sydney.
‘When I finished my round I thought I’d be tied or one back, it looks now like it’s two or three shots.
Jones picked up another shot on the 16th, however, and managed to hold his nerve despite finding the trees on the 17th to clinch the trophy with a short par putt on the final green. Right or left, long or shot, Spieth, the defending champion, saw it all.
“Even if I up-and-down it for a par, starting tomorrow one over, unless they come way, way back I’m pretty much done so, like I said, it’s a good shot, maybe a little lucky but took advantage of it”.
“Terribly’s a very nice word after what I put on today, but I got the job done as you said”, said Jones after his start had been described as bad.
“It’s a dream come true for me and something I can’t have taken away from me”.
The 22-year-old world number one is three strokes behind the leader Matt Jones after 54 holes, but improved his chances of back-to-back victories at the Australian Golf Club after notching an eagle two at the par-four 17th.
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Scott is winless this year and his streak of capturing at least one tournament every year since 2001 could end if he doesn’t win his final tournament of the year in early December – the Hero World Challenge at his home base of the Bahamas.
