Spieth up to 2nd at Australian Open

But caddie Michael Greller helped settle him down and gave him a goal of getting back to even par for the day through 17 holes, then he would birdie the par-5 18th to finish in red figures.

In all, there were 10 players within five shots of the lead early in the final round, setting up a possible grandstand finish at The Australian Golf Club.

First-round leader Lincoln Tighe of Australia dropped four shots on his final four holes for a 73 and was also four back.

Lee Westwood was marginally better off than Spieth, on one under, with Australian Adam Scott signing for a 71.

“If I go out and shoot 2- or 3-under tomorrow, I’m going to be very tough to beat”, said Jones, who had six birdies Saturday.

He had a horror start – dropping three shots on the first four holes – but went seven under par in the last 10 to produce a quality result.

As for his round, he added: “I made a couple of bad swings and a couple of bad decisions”.

“They’ve just gotten a little bit easier day-to-day and my putting’s been just slightly better today, and so I do believe that I have yet to peak at this tournament”.

Behind him on the golf course, however, Jones was producing his own heroics, holing a lengthy putt from off the green at the 17th then finishing with a birdie at the last to extend his lead over Spieth to three.

“Of course I’ve thought about it… it would be fantastic”, Jones said.

Local boy Matt Jones has control at the halfway mark of the Australian Open with defending champion Jordan Spieth’s charge stalling in yesterday’s second round. “If he shoots something wonderful like previous year and beats me, that’s what I’ll have to deal with”. “That’s what I’m going with”.

Matt Jones lines up a putt on the fifth green during day three of the Australian Open. Scott made another sloppy bogey on the sixth, his 16th hole of the day, and he needs a big charge today to remain in the hunt for the Stonehaven Cup. Scott, who has not won this year, has a streak of winning at least one tournament every year since 2001. After his round, Spieth wasn’t about to apologize.

“I’m playing to a strategy I have”, he said.

“So, yeah, I guess it fuelled up the tank and I came out on fire”.