Hot Jones nabs Dominican lead

Matt Jones shines against the backdrop of the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

In-form Sydneysider Matt Jones has jumped forward in the Corral Championship of the American PGA Tour in the Dominican Republic.

The 2015 Australian Open champion shares the lead of the "opposite field" event – played simultaneously with the World Match Play in Texas – with American Joel Dahmen and Paul Dunne, Ireland.

The trio each collected a round of six-under-par 66 in Punta Cana to be led by one of the Korean Sungjae Im, with a large number of players, including Victorian Aaron Baddeley at four under.

Of the other Aussies in the field, Western Australian Curtis Luck continued his good run in Florida last week to win an opening of 70, accounting for a share of 24.

But John Senden (73), Cameron Davis (74) and Robert Allenby (75) all have work to do tomorrow.

Jones, who started the season on limited status after a flat 2018 campaign, has made five consecutive parts, including two T13 finishes at last week's Valspar championship and the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

He has already moved to the 111th position in the FedEx Cup at the end of the season in the pursuit of the top 125 to regain his full status for 2020.

The New South Welshman was four under-through 10 holes before he shot back at the par-four 11th, but rattled home with three birdies in four holes from the 14th to scythe through the field

In the meantime, Victorian Ryan Ruffels played a second round 75 in Panama to finish down fourth in the middle of the Buenaventura Classic on the Latinamerica Tour.

Ruffels shared the first round lead at six o'clock under Jared Wolfe, but the American backed up his opening 66 with another nice 68 today to shoot well at 10 under.

New South Welshman Harrison Endycott is also prominent after a second round 71 left him one in total and in a share of the eighth in the tournament-opening event of the tour in Panama.

CORALES LEADERBOARD

BUENAVENTURA LEADERBOARD