Date: December 05, 2019
Author: Mark Hayes @ The Australian

Jones enjoys familiar surrounds

This story, like Matt Jones' golf, will be fast.

There's no point beating around the bush – Banjamin Button of Australian golf is all about brevity.

Jones will sleep in his own bed this week, happily back in Sydney for his almost annual dose of family time and a tilt at his national crown.

He has finished in the top 10 no fewer than five times in his most recent eight starts at the Emirates Australian Open.

He got his hands on the Stonehaven Cup here at his home club, The Australian, in 2015; he was just one shot shy of a second crown in a blanket finish here again in 2017.

Jones, 39, meant his answer to the inevitable question about his home course edge to play down expectations.

And while that sentiment is duly noted, it also serves as a subtle warning to the field as the tournament begins today.

"Not here, per se, but in Australian Opens I have a pretty good record in the past," said Jones, whose mentor is The Australian's head professional, Gary Barter.

"It's always fun to come back – I'm getting a bit older and longer in the tooth, so we'll just see what happens.

"But yeah, it is a bit less stressful for me this year (with my PGA Tour card locked away for 2020). My world is set up a bit better than in some other years and I've also started well in the "fall series" in the US, too, (55th in the FedEx Cup race) which helps me when I start back up again next year.

"So I'm looking forward to playing here this week and then having a nice long break."

So can you win, Matt?

"Of course I can," he said with trademark cheeky chuckle.

"You'll see exactly the same effort and same golf from me that you always see around here. The course is playing a little different from last time, with a little less rough and it's a little firmer and might play a bit tricky."

So you DO have an advantage here, Matt?

"Yep, I suppose I do.

"It's nice to have that, but then I've got to go and execute.

"You can have all the knowledge you want, but if you're not hitting it well, it won't make a bit of difference, especally against a field like this."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yep, I suppose I do.

 

"It's nice to have that, but then I've got to go and execute.

 

"You can have all the knowledge you want, but if you're not hitting it well, it won't make a bit of difference, especially against a field like this."