Matt Jones captured the Australian Open on home soil after narrowly beating world number one Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott.
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Jones, Pampling, Scott and Spieth were frequently tied for the lead over the final hour, but a birdie on the 16th put the Australian a stroke clear. “It’s me sticking to a game plan, managing the course and just giving myself opportunities”, Jones said. After sleeping on a three-stroke advantage, Jones’ nerves almost got the better of him, but the Aussie collected the hardware at The Australian Golf Club in Rosebery today. The head shakes and arm swipes turned into a beaming smile, however, when he whipped an eight iron 181 yards towards the flag on the par-four 17th and watched as the ball bounced twice before trickling into the hole.
The Open wins of superstar Rory McIlroy, who broke a drought at Royal Sydney in 2013, and Jordan Spieth a year ago, when it ignited his run to two majors, have made a worldwide bang. Jones would match Spieth’s shot, however, and lock up the Stonehaven Cup. ‘It will be a lot of fun.’ ‘If I go out and shoot two or three under tomorrow I’m going to be very tough to beat.
“It’s unbelievable. I didn’t think it would be enough coming in”. 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.
That he did, shooting 2-under 34 on the back nine, while Scott and Spieth came up short in their attempts to overtake him.
Best of all, Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said on Sunday that the chatter to get Day, the PGA Championship victor, to play the Australian Open for the first time since he finished sixth in 2013 was already underway.
Pampling bogeyed his first hole Sunday, then played the next 17 in 11-under, with nine birdies, including 2s on three of the four par-3s on the course, and an eagle.
England’s Lee Westwood carded his best round of the tournament – a two-under 69 – to finish tied for 18th on two under, while a 76 from Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke left him joint 30th on four over.
“It’s a dream come true for me and it’s something that I can’t have taken away from me”.
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He ultimately finished in fourth after his course-record round.
