Aussies Jones, Pike assured of 2021 Open spots

Double Australian Open winner Matt Jones and joint third-placed Aaron Pike can breath a small sigh of relief knowing their places in the rescheduled 2021 Open Championship are assured.

The PGA sent a memo to all Tour members, including Jones, stating all players who had secured a spot in the field for the Open Championship as of April 6, 2020, will remain eligible for the rescheduled 2021 tournament at Royal St. George’s.

Matt Jones (Credit: R&A)

Strangely, the R&A had not indicated this in their recent statement to cancel the staging of the 2020 Open and rescheduling in July 2021.

Jones emerged from the bushfire smoke that had engulfed Sydney and surrounds as a one-stroke winner at 14-under par over South African Louis Oosthuizen to clinch his second Australian Open title at The Australian Golf Club.

The Sydneysider, and a member at the Australian, will be heading to his fifth Open Championship albeit for it to be a 19-month wait as opposed the normal seven-month period.

Pike shot a final day 69 to share third spot with the No. 1 world-ranked amateur, Takumi Kanaya, to clinch their maiden Open Championship tee time.