Jones, Pampling and Cullen qualify for The Open

Matt Jones celebrates after sinking his final putt to win the Australian Open golf tournament in Sydney on Sunday.

The two US PGA stars will go head-to-head in the final pairing but Jones vowed not to get bogged down in any Sunday shootout with the reigning Masters and US Open champion.

Jones overcame a bogey, double-bogey and triple-bogey on the front nine Sunday to escape with a one-stroke victory at the Australian Open after shooting a 2-over 73.

It was perhaps appropriate that a local should win the 100th edition of the Australian Open and few were more local than Jones, who has been a member of the host Australian Golf Club since he was 15.

Both Pampling and Scott defied the expected head-to-head virtual matchplay between the final pairing of Jones and Spieth. “On the weekend you’d like to start off your rounds and be able to gain some momentum and I just didn’t get anything at the beginning, ” he said.

The key shot in the round came on the 12th, after Jones hit his tee shot well right and his second shot ricocheted off a tree he was trying to hit past.

“There’s one more day to go and I get to play with him”, said Jones.

Scott and Spieth tied for runner-up position with Rod Pampling 4th and Nick Cullen and first round leader, Lincoln Tighe, sharing 5th.

Spieth set the previous mark of 63 during the final round a year ago, winning the Australian Open by six strokes, with Pampling finishing runner-up.

Scott has won at least one title every year since claiming the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa in 2001, his first year as a full-time professional.

Pampling will qualify for next year’s Open at Royal Troon if he finishes among the top three of those not already exempt, like Spieth and Scott. “But either way it’s a lot better than it was through the first four holes”.

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.

The long, dipping, winding putt even drew a hand slap from his 48-year-old playing partner David McKenzie. You can be one swing away from doing what I did and having no chance to win. “‘It was hard-going out there today windy the pins were tucked but I made some putts” Scott said.