Local hero Matt Jones leads but Jordan Spieth is lurking

Matt Jones will need every last skerrick of his local knowledge to win the Australian Open.

Tournament leader Matt Jones plays in front of a big gallery at The Australian Golf Club yesterday.

Matt Jones will need every last skerrick of his negligible local knowledge to win the Australian Open after world No 1 Jordan ­Spieth announced his intention to retain the Stonehaven Cup.

Sydneysider Jones, a member of The Australian Golf Club, holds a three-shot lead from countryman Todd Sinnot after faultless opening rounds of 67-68.

He is seven-under in pursuit of his maiden national championship but with Adam Scott too knackered to practice, make ­birdies or get his putts to the hole, Spieth and Geoff Ogilvy, both at three-under par, are the dangermen.

America’s US Masters and US Open champion is four shots off the pace after climbing into contention yesterday with the calmness of a bloke who could have broken par with pipe and slippers.

“It’s starting to feel really good,” Spieth said. “If you’re driving the ball well out there, you can shoot under par and that’s what we’re starting to do. Right now the goal is to shoot 10-under on the weekend. I think that’s going to be good enough. There’s just not that many birdie chances so it’s really a matter of making no bogeys.”

Spieth is a wire-to-wire spec­ialist but he’s revelling in playing catch-up. His only gripe yesterday was when his group was put under the clock for being too slow. ­Bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes stalled his charge before he drained a birdie on the par-five 18th.

“I like the challenge of chasing — but not being too far away,” he said. “I like knowing you can go out ahead and put pressure on. Maybe the leaders can hear the noise and the roars if you can generate some.

“It could be a very exciting ­finish. I played with Matt in the practice round and his brother, Brett. Matt seemed to have a nice ball working there.

“He’s obviously been judging the wind correctly and he’s a great putter. I don’t see him letting down so I’m going to need something special. I’ve still got my best golf to be played. That’s what’s positive.”

Jones said the worth of his local knowledge was questionable.

“It helps to an extent,” he said. “I do know the golf course. I’m comfortable with the lines off the tees. But the green are completely different to what I grew up on here. Different grass. A lot of different breaks.

“These greens are totally new to me. I do have local knowledge and it’ll be fun to be out there on the weekend with a lot of friends and family and members from this course. But I’d say the local knowledge would come with the wind and how heavy it can be in certain areas. You might not feel it in some areas where I’ll know it’s going to be.”

Jones said: “I’ve been in this clubhouse since I was 15, so I’ve seen all those photos (of past champions). To have my name on the trophy alongside all those great golfers would be amazing.

“It’s fun to think about but I’ve got to go out and execute and do it.

“Any time you have a chance to win your country’s Open … there’s two days to go so I can’t really be thinking about that now. I’ll be thinking about that if I have a chance coming down the stretch on Sunday.”

Spieth did what Scott could not, surging up the leaderboard while Scott faded from view with a two-over 73 to add to his opening 71.

“This is my sixth even out of the last eight weeks and getting out of bed at four o’clock this morning, I wasn’t springing out of bed,” Australia’s former world No 1 said.

“I misjudged the pace of the greens for most of the day. I just couldn’t get myself to hit the putts hard enough. When the greens slow down, I tend to struggle and I did again today.

“It wasn’t what I was looking for at all. Nothing was feeling that great down the line today. Just didn’t have the eye in. I didn’t make any putts and it’s a hard track.”

Scott ignored the practice range on his way out the front gates.

“I’ve played plenty of golf,” he said. “I’ll just go home. I’ve just got to play two good rounds. I think I can shoot a couple of mid-60s.

“It’s really doable if you play good. I’ve just got to put it together. I just never got any momentum today and never got myself in the right spots.”