Matt Jones chalked up his first USPGA win in seven years when he took out the Houston Open in a play-off with Matt Kuchar, and in the process booked himself into the Masters field this week.
That was after captain Meg Lanning had top-scored for the Australian women cricketers in their cruise to victory over England in the World Twenty20 final.
A magnificent double where passion and sheer dedication to the cause shone through.
The tournament was Kuchar’s to lose whe he led by four shots but Jones was dogged all day, trying to peg back Kuchar’s lead. It came down to the 72nd hole, where Jones, trailing by a shot, birdied the last with a 40-footer.
Kuchchar, playing immediately behind Jones, found water with his appoach. His bogey forced a play-off on 273 – 15 under par. The same 18th was the play-off hole where Jones found a bad lie in the fairway bunker, and Kuchar was well-placed again in the middle of the fairway.
Jones fired first and cut his approach shot from the sand to end up behind a greenside bunker and 42 yards from the pin. Kuchar found the green with his approach, but Jones stunned the Kuchar fans by sinking his approach to birdie the last back-to-back, where even pars were hard to get in the conditions.
Kuchar’s third was well short, and the title belonged to Matt Jones, ending his journeyman status.
He now joins defending champion Adam Scott at Augusta this week, plus Jason Day, Marc Leishman, John Senden, last week’s Texas Open champion Steve Bowditch, and qualifier Oliver Goss.
The seven Australians have been matched by seven Englishman – Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, David Lynn, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Graham Porteous.
There are 44 Americans in the field, but Australia and England head the overseas contingent, South Africa close behind with six – Ernie Els, Tim Clark, Charles Schwartzel, Louis Oosterhuizen, Trevor Immelmann, and Brenden Grace
But anyone who had the pleasure watching Matt Jones’ miracle shot live won’t forget it in a hurry – something very special.
As was Meg Lanning’s 44 off 30, including four boundaries and two sixes, to steer her team to a six-wicket win over arch-rivals England at Dhaka.
Tight line and length bowling kept England struggling with 8-105 after their 20 overs, Sarah Coyte claiming 3-16 off her four, taking out player-of-the-match. She would have been closely pressed for the honour by all-rounder Ellyse Perry’s 2-13 off four, and an unbeaten 31 in Australia’s total of 4-106 with 29 deliveries spare.
Lanning ended up the tournament’s top-scorer with 257 runs at an average of 42.8. Elyse Villani scored 138 at 46, and Perry 106 at 53. With the ball, Coyte was third-highest wicket-taker with 9 at 11.22, Perry was equal-fourth with 8 at 12.87.
A great win by the Aussie girls, clinching a hat-trick of World Twenty20 titles. They put the Aussie men to shame.
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