Rod Pampling of Australia pumps his fist as he celebrates hitting an eagle on the 18th green on the final day of play during the Australian Open golf tournament in Sydney Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015.
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The Sydney-born player carded a three-under-par 68 to move to ten-under-par overall and retain the lead in the Championship by three shots from Jordan Spieth, who is already exempt for The Open.
Jones is also in line to secure one of three places into next year’s Open Championship along with fellow Australian Rhein Gibson (68) in third place on five under par. Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts who is contesting his first Australian Open is well positioned to end a three-and-a-half winless drought posting the best round of the day a five under par 66 to be among five players including former Australian Open victor Geoff Ogilvy (71) at three under par. As the TV announcers noted, his shot was on the flag the entire way, and you could tell from Spieth’s body language while the ball was in the air that he really liked it. After a flury of bogeys, Spieth began his recovery after four holes to bring himself back to one over. It came after he failed to make a birdie in his Friday round, and Scott said he couldn’t recall the last time that had happened. “You never know how they’re going to finish up but at least clawed into red figures and start tomorrow hopeful of something special”. He’s tied for seventh, nine strokes behind, as is European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, who shot 70.
The 35-year-old Aussie traded six birdies with three bogeys and is desperate his hands on the trophy.
“It would be fantastic if I won the Australian Open and it’s something I have thought about growing up and watching the likes of my boyhood hero Greg Norman winning this event”, said Jones.
“Matt Jones has played the best golf for three rounds, he’s played better golf than I have and I have to somehow not only play better golf, but play better golf by multiple shots”.
“It’s not about a match-play mindset at all”, Jones said. “It’ll be fun to be out there on the weekend with a lot of friends and family and members from this course out there”, he said.
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“It was one of the great fightbacks I’ve had”.
