Brett Rumford is playing the NSW Open for the first time in his illustrious career, and he couldn’t be happier.

The legendary West Australian did concede there is a couple of compelling reasons behind his decision to play this week, mainly his chase for this year’s ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title, and of course the quality of the Twin Creeks layout, designed by fellow WA product Graham Marsh.

“I hadn’t played here before, but all the reports I’ve heard said it was well worth playing," Rumford said.

“I didn’t make Race to Dubai, and I wasn’t keen on having three weeks off before the Australian Open.

“I can get a bit of match practice under my belt before the Australian Open, make a bit of coin, maybe even take out a title. It’s a win-win-win."

Rumford started his 2017 with a bang with at Lake Karrinyup in the inaugural ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. Since then, however, his season has been a little lean.

“It was cool, but the rest of the year was a bit ordinary, it flatlined a bit,” Rumford said.

“I went searching a bit, moved house, packed up in the U.K. My first seven weeks back in Europe, a lot of my attention was packing up.

“I was never far away, missing cuts by one or two, it (my game) wasn’t quite firing, but it was not far away.

“I missed four cuts where a par on the last would have got me home, but I would either bogey or double the last."

The Western Australian is intent on sharpening his fabled short game this week and preparing as best he can for the last couple of events for the year. Winning an Australian Open, he said, is on his bucket list.

“Winning an Aussie Open has always been on my bucket list, and to win it around The Australian would be pretty special,” he smiled.

“The last time (2014) it was there I played the final round with Chalmers and Spieth, I played pretty well. I gave myself a real chance with my ball striking, but nothing happened with the putter. It actually hurt me more than Spieth’s 64. It was a tough Sunday.”

Rumford said this week, however, was all about hard work, getting some match fitness and sharpening his touch around the greens.

“I’ll be working on my fitness, preparing the body, getting my short game up to speed, so what happens this week, happens.”