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Matt Jones sneaks home by a shot in explosive Australian Open

Expert
29th November, 2015
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Matt Jones overcame a bogey-double bogey start with a triple at the ninth to hold off Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth by a shot to win his first Australian Open.

A very emotional Jones, a member of The Australian Club, said: “That was very stressful, it wasn’t comfortable out there for me.”

The quote was accurate, but wow, what an explosive tournament.

Rod Pampling’s first-hole bogey gave no indication he would light the fuse for the fireworks with nine birdies and a 70-foot eagle putt at the last for a course record 10-under 61 – a career best.

Pampling had made up 14 shots to be clubhouse leader for a couple of hours at six-under playing his spine-tingling golf.

Scott wasn’t to be denied either. He joined the explosion by making up nine shots to edge past Pampling by a shot with a 65 that included seven birdies and a sole bogey.

Both Pampling and Scott defied the expected head-to-head virtual matchplay between the final pairing of Jones and Spieth.

After Jones’ bogey-ridden front nine, he exploded out of the bunker at the 12th for an unlikely par that settled the jangled 35-year-old to birdie 14 and 16 before sinking a three-footer at the last for par – and the victory.

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Spieth’s start wasn’t much better than Jones with bogey-bogey and another at the sixth, turning in two-over.

But as you would expect from the world number one and defending champion, he came home strongly with three birdies and a bogey to fall short by a shot.

He had a 15-foot eagle putt at the last to force at play-off, but like most of his putting in the final round he frightened the hole, and had to settle for the birdie and equal second with Scott.

But there were additional prizes for Jones, Pampling, and last year’s Australian Masters champion Nick Cullen.

With Spieth and Scott already qualified for next year’s British Open at Royal Troon. Jones, Pampling, and Cullen were the top three on the leaderboard who became automatic qualifiers and are now in the 2016 field.

Cullen finished equal with Lincoln Tighe, but won the last spot with his higher ranking.

Final leaderboard
8-under – Matt Jones 67 68 68 73
7-under – Adam Scott 71 72 68 65, Jordan Spieth 71 68 67 71
6-under – Rod Pampling 71 72 74 61
3-under – Nick Cullen 70 73 70 68, Lincoln Tighe 66 73 70 72

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