Local boy Jones soars into lead in Sydney
Holder Spieth four behind, birdie-less Scott slides down leaderboard
>> SYDNEY: World No.1 and defending champion Jordan Spieth moved into a share of third place at the Australian Open yesterday, four shots behind Sydney-born Matt Jones who took full advantage of his course knowledge to go top at seven-under 135.
Spieth battled his way through a “frustrating” day to record a threeunder-par 68, moving to three-under 139 overall.
He kick-started his round with a first-hole birdie, managing three other birdies but also back-to-back bogeys at the 15th and 16th.
“The cross winds again made it a guessing game out there today, leaving a 50-50 shot and we got less than 50 percent of them right,” said Spieth.
“It just made it so frustrating as I was striking the ball well, and it was a round I could have shot six or seven under, and I just didn’t have any chances.”
He added: “I had a lot of shots right at the pin, like at nine and 10, and in the middle of the round I could have got something going, but managed to save myself when I got it wrong.”
Jones, the winner of the 2014 Shell Houston Open, took full advantage of his Australian Club course knowledge, also shooting a 68 to move to sevenunder 135.
Arizona-based Jones, 35, joined the Australian Club as a 15-year-old and named Greg Norman and Tiger Woods as his inspiration for pursuing the title.
“It’s been pretty cool to look at the black and white photographs of the former champions in the clubhouse and to have my name on the trophy beside all those great golfers would be amazing,” he said.
Rookie Todd Sinnott of Australia shot a 70 to move into second place at four-under 138.
The efforts of Jones and Sinnott also have them in line to secure one of the three places for next year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, Scotland.
Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts, who is contesting his first Australian Open, posted the best round of the day, a five-under-par 66, to be among five players including former Australian Open winner Geoff Ogilvy (71) at three-under 139.
England’s Lee Westwood, who played alongside Spieth and Ogilvy, shot a 72 to be at even par and tied with close friend and European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke.
Clarke, who brought the gleaming Ryder Cup trophy to Australia for a first-ever visit Down Under, bounced back from a first-round 75 to grab five birdies in a four-under-par 67.
And hometown favourite Adam Scott failed to record a single birdie in a score of 73 for a two-over-par tally, but remains inside the four-over cut mark.