Top-ranked Jordan Spieth needs another big final round to successfully defend his title in the 100th Australian Open.
Spieth bounced back from three bogeys in the first four holes to shoot 4-under-par 67 in round three and was alone in second, three strokes behind Matt Jones of Australia, who had a 68 at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney.
Finishing with a flourish on the last two holes, Spieth went eagle-birdie, holing his second shot from 181 yards with an 8-iron at No. 17.
“I struck it nicely; there’s not too much room to land it up there (on the 17th),” said Spieth, who closed with a 63 last year to win by six strokes. “It’s two extra shots that you don’t expect. Great fight-back, one of the best-fought rounds I’ve had that I can remember.
“I made a couple bad swings and a couple bad decisions (on the front nine), not many pars, and on a Saturday you’ve just got to hang in there and let the birdies come to you.”
Jones, who came from Australia to play at Arizona State and won the 2014 Shell Houston Open with a chip-in birdie to turn back Matt Kuchar on the first playoff hole, maintained his lead with a second straight 68 that included three birdies on the last five holes.
The Aussie provided some magic of his own on the 17th hole, where he holed a birdie putt from well off the green.
“One more to go, and I get to play with the No. 1 player in the world,” said Jones, who will be paired with Spieth in the final round. “It will be a lot of fun.
“If I go out and shoot 2- or 3- under tomorrow, I’m going to be very tough to beat. So it’s in my hands. If he shoots something amazing like last year and beats me, that’s what I’ll have to deal with.”
Rhein Gibson of Australia posted a second straight 68 and was five shots back in solo third, while Aussies Lincoln Tighe and Aron Price were tied for fourth another stroke behind after 70s, and 2010 Australian Open champion Geoff Ogilvy was seven shots down in sixth following a 71.
Adam Scott, who won the tournament in 2009, holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole to shoot 68 and was nine strokes behind in a tie for seventh that included Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, who had a 70.
Amateur Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis and SMU, the NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion, struggled to a 74 and was tied for 22nd, while Lee Westwood of England, who won the 1997 Australian Open, came in at 75 and was tied for 35th.
