Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith headline the seven strong Australasian assault at this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii where Steve Allan has survived Monday qualifying for the second time this season to earn a spot in the field.

Allan lost all status on both the PGA and Web.com Tours at the end of last year but the 44-year-old produced some stunning golf at the Hoakalei Country Club to earn medallist honours on Monday.

Eight birdies and a bogey saw Allan sign for a 7-under 65, good for a one-shot win and one of four available tee times.

It is Allan’s second successful Monday qualifying attempt after also gaining entry to the Safeway Open field last October where he went on to miss the cut.

This year marks Allan’s fifth appearance at the tournament and first since 2005 though he will be keen to improve on his previous best of T27 which came in 2004.

He joins Leishman and Smith alongside Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Matt Jones and New Zealand’s Danny Lee with Cameron Percy on the alternate list for the first full field PGA TOUR event of the year.

Both Smith and Leishman made the short flight from Maui after teeing up in last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions where they showed promising signs for the year ahead.

Leishman led through 36 holes in Kapalua and though a third round 76 derailed his chances of a fourth PGA TOUR victory a Sunday 67, bettered by only two players on the day, suggests that round was an anomaly.

The Victorian has been a fixture at the Sony Open since joining the PGA TOUR in 2009 missing just one year, 2012, and posting two top-10 finishes.

A second round 62 in 2015 proves he is comfortable on the Waialae Country Club layout and after his performance last week he will be among those to watch this week.

Leishman is ranked fourth among the PGA TOUR’s ‘Power Rankings’ where Cameron Smith is also among the 15 players selected as potential contenders this week.

The reigning Australian PGA champion did well to finish mid-field after a challenging start at his first appearance at the Tournament of Champions last week and after showing excellent form late in 2017 will be keen to improve on a best result of T27 here last year.

In 2017 Smith opened the tournament with a superb 64 and broke 70 in all four rounds on his way to a T27 finish though brings more confidence to the first tee in 2018 after a breakout year.

For the remaining Australians in the field there have been few highlights at Waialae, Aaron Baddeley’s runner-up finish in 2003 the pick.

Greg Chalmers’ best was T5 in 2001 while Matt Jones makes his sixth appearance though is yet to finish in the top-10 at this event.