Jordan Spieth has emerged victorious at the Emirates
Australian Open following a three-way playoff for the Stonehaven Cup.

With rounds of 69, 70, 68 and 69, Jordan Spieth finished
regulation play tied with Queenslander Cameron Smith and Victorian Ashley Hall
on 12-under 276.

It took just one trip down the 18^th for Spieth to
be pronounced the champion. He birdied the first playoff hole with the
Australian duo unable to match him.

"We
love coming here. I had a chance last year on 18 and didn’t hit a great putt.
This time I had that same chance with a very similar putt in the playoff and
capitalised. I drew back a little bit on that and said this is our time to
close this one out," said Spieth.

"I
didn’t have much confidence in my swing on the last couple of holes today in
regulation. I was able to calm down in between and said let’s go ahead and
prove to ourselves that we can make clutch swings when it matters.

"A
few people probably wanted it to go back into Aussie hands and Matt Jones
wasn’t there to reclaim it. So we’re happy to take it in his absence."

This becomes Spieth’s second Emirates Australian Open title
after he won in 2014 at The Australian Golf Club.

That win teed off Spieth’s phenomenal 2015 season which saw
him win two Major Championships.

"We
love coming here. I certainly plan on (coming back)…but how can you argue
with coming here and getting the confidence we get out of this event," added
Spieth

"I
have cut out a lot of overseas travel this year, but we still came here. That’s
how important this event is to us. I haven’t gone anywhere else. 

"Even
if overseas travel is trimmed down, we still like coming here and plan
to."

While Smith and Hall were disappointed not to be hoisting
the trophy they have been consoled with starts at The Open at Royal Birkdale
Golf Club next year.

"I’m happy.  I
haven’t been playing well lately, so it sits pretty good," said Hall,
who missed the cut in his last four tournaments leading into the Emirates
Australian Open.

"I was pretty close to getting a job next year, in a
couple of weeks’ time.  I might
not do that now, I’ve got some important tournaments to play next year,
one in particular in July."

With Smith adding, "I actually played with (R&A Deputy Championship Committee Chairman
Peter Cowell) earlier in the tournament at the pro-am and so I guess that was
kind of an omen.

"To have one of those spots is
awesome.  It’s the only Major I haven’t
played in yet, so I’m keen to get over there."

Joining them at the 146^th Open will be Aaron
Baddeley who received the final exemption after he finished tied 4^th
on 10-under the card alongside Jason Scrivener, Rod Pampling, Ryan Fox and
Geoff Ogilvy.

Baddeley was provided the place by virtue of being ranked
highest in the Official World Golf Rankings.

"It’s super exciting.
I wasn’t in any of the Majors starting the year so being able to plan that I’m
going to Birkdale is pretty exciting," said Baddeley.

Finishing outright 9^th on 9-under 279 was Jhonattan
Vegas while Robert Allenby rounded out the top-10 one shot further back.

Following the Emirates Australian Open, Matthew Griffin
continues to lead the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. He is
just over AU$7,000 clear of New Zealander Michael Hendry.

From Sydney the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia travels
to Melbourne for the World Cup of Golf to be played at Kingston Heath Golf Club
from 24-27 November.