Spieth ended his round eagle-birdie, and that eagle was spectacular – he holed an 8-iron shot from 181 yards out on the par-4 17th hole.
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It was perhaps appropriate that a local should win the 100th edition of the Australian Open and few were more local than Jones, who has been a member of the host Australian Golf Club since he was 15.
Australian Rhein Gibson was in third after a 68, five behind Jones.
Scott, who three-putted twice for bogeys, didn’t make a single birdie, admitting he couldn’t remember when he last had a round without one. He was even tied for the lead later in the afternoon until Matt Jones pulled away for a one-stroke victory.
“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 awful.
They came to the 16 hole on Saturday each four under par but they had arrived there by playing starkly different golf.
“I made a couple of bad swings and a couple of bad decisions”, said Spieth.
He came closest to lifting the Stonehaven Cup again in 2013, when he was famously beaten by Rory McIlroy on the final hole.
The American had the chance to force a play-off with a 5m putt for eagle on the last, but the effort slid past the hole.
“Today the greens were ideal, conditions a lot calmer, so I’m not surprised to shoot a good score”. The course has been tough, with only 18 under par after the first round and 12 after the second.
Spieth set the previous mark of 63 during the final round a year ago, winning the Australian Open by six strokes, with Pampling finishing runner-up.
Spieth went bogey-bogey to start his round while Jones went bogey-double bogey and just like that the leaders were a combined five over through the first two holes. I can’t wait to get over there for The Open.
“Right now I think the goal is going to be to try and shoot 10 under on the weekend and I think that should be good enough”. Spieth said the wind definitely played a factor in his problems, saying that it was a guessing game to know which club to use and how to play to defeat it.
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“Not really, I could have given him one though (for) getting wet on the 14th”, he said, referring to the fact Williams didn’t have an umbrella ready when a brief shower hit the course.
