Veteran Richard Green will be looking to capitalise on an invitation to the Asian and Japan Tour co-sanctioned Panasonic Open this week.

Green is a member of the Asian Tour having won the Qualifying School earlier this year but wasn’t automatically eligible for this week’s event because of his ranking.

However, having lost full European Tour status at the end of last year the 44-year-old is grabbing as many chances as he can on tours around the world and a good showing this week could open up opportunities in Japan.

Green would love to follow in the footsteps of fellow Victorian Todd Sinnott, whose victory at the co-sanctioned Myanmar Open in February earned him full status in Japan, but will need to be at his best in a strong field.

Sinnott and Green are part of an eight strong Australian contingent teeing up this week in Chiba with Terry Pilkadaris the only Asian Tour representative among that number.

Last week’s top Australian, Adam Bland, is joined by Brendan Jones, Brad Kennedy, Won Joon Lee and Kurt Barnes for just the second staging of the tournament.

Kennedy and Bland shared top honours last year when finishing T28 and Bland will be keen to continue his good play from last week’s Token Homemate Cup and finish even higher this year.