For just the second time in his career Adam Scott will tee up at this week’s Pebble Beach pro-am as his preparations for the year’s first major begin in earnest.

The 37-year-old heads up an eight strong Australian challenge at America’s favourite golf course, his first public appearance since missing the cut at the Australian PGA Championship in December.

Scott is joined in the field by Greg Chalmers, Farmers Insurance Open winner Jason Day, Matt Jones, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy and Australian Open winner Camron Davis who plays his third consecutive event on a sponsor’s invite.

Stuart Appleby is first alternate for the tournament and will be a good chance to earn a start.

Scott has made it clear in recent years that his tournament schedule is built exclusively around peaking for the game’s four major tournaments and after a disappointing run last year he intends to mix things up in 2018.

2010 was the first and only time that Scott has played the Pebble Beach event; the celebrity pro-am played over three courses and historically noted for its slow play which was not always to his tastes.

But Scott said earlier this year he would be changing up his schedule in 2018 as he takes aim at a second major and his appearance at Pebble Beach will surprise many.

After such a lengthy break his form will be hard to predict but as one of the game’s best in recent years it would be no surprise to see him in the mix on the weekend.

While many will watch Scott with interest it is Jason Day who will start favourite among the Australian contingent after his win at Torrey Pines a fortnight ago.

Not only is the former World Number One in good form he has an excellent track record at Pebble Beach with four top-10 finishes in eight starts.

The rededicated Day was T5 in 2017 after losing the 36-hole lead with a third round 75 and he will be keen to make amends for that stumble this week.

Matt Jones too, has an enviable record at Pebble Beach with just one missed cut in 10 starts and some good results in the past three years.

The 36-hole leader in 2015 before fading to a T7 finish, Jones was also T11 in 2016 and T23 last year.After missing his last two cuts will be pleased to be back in a comfortable setting.

For the second straight year Cameron Percy is playing the PGA TOUR with only conditional status after finishing between 126 and 150 on the 2017 FedEx Cup.

His T10 finish at Pebble Beach last year was vital in achieving that result and he will be looking to make the most of just his second PGA TOUR start for 2018 when he returns this week.

There has been little joy for the remainder of the Australians playing on the California coastline with Aaron Baddeley’s best being a fourth in 2012 and Rod Pampling finishing T10 in 2003.

Greg Chalmers has missed the cut five times in nine starts and his best finish came in 2010 when T36.