Jones claims 2nd Australian Open title

SYDNEY: Matt Jones joined an elite few as he won his second Australian Open golf Sunday, resisting big pressure on the back nine from South African Louis Oosthuizen to clinch victory by a shot.

The 39-year-old, who grew up playing at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney before taking his game to the United States, stroked a final round 69 to book a place at the 2020 Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

He joins the likes of Aaron Baddeley, Jordan Spieth, and Robert Allenby among his contemporaries to have won two Stonehaven Cups.

On a warm, gusty day, he ended at 15-under for the tournament, one ahead of Oosthuizen, who war­med-up for the Presidents Cup against the Tiger Woods-led Americans in Melbourne this week with impressive form.

The world number 24 moved within two shots of Jones with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11 and sunk a spectacular eagle on the 18th in his 66, leaving the Australian needing par to win on his last hole.

Jones clipped a tree on his second shot and landed in the sand, but held his nerve to reach the green and nail a pressure putt to claim victory.

“It wasn’t easy out there today, the conditions were tough and I just managed to get it done,” said Jones, who took a three-shot lead into the final round.

Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, the world’s top-ranked amateur, and Australian Aaron Pike ended tied for third, six shots behind Jones. Both also qualified for next year’s British Open.

England’s Paul Casey, the highest-ranked player in the field at 14, hit a final round 72 to tie for fifth among a group of five, including exciting South Korean amateur Yu Chun-am.

Among others in the field who now head to Royal Melbourne to play with the International team at the Presidents Cup, Marc Leishman hit a 71 to end eight behind Jones and fellow Australian Cameron Smith was five further back.

Mexico’s Abraham An­cer, the Australian Open defending champion, finished 14 off the pace while local hero Adam Scott missed the cut.