Just five tournaments
removed from his most recent win, it is a rejuvenated Brendan Jones who tees up
at this week’s Visa Taiheiyo Masters, historically one of his favourite events
on the Japan Tour.

Jones won the
tournament in 2007, one of the most prestigious on the circuit, but also has
three other top-10 finishes on his resume in the years since.

Australia has a proud
history at the tournament with Jones being one of four Australians to have
captured the title.

Graham Marsh was the
first in 1987 while Roger Mackay triumphed in 1991 and Greg Norman put his name
on the trophy in 1993.

Jones is one of seven
Australasians in this week’s field joined by Michael Hendry, Brad Kennedy, Adam
Bland, Scott Strange, Kurt Barnes and Won Joon Lee.

Hendry and Kennedy
continue to battle for top honours on the money list with Hendry increasing his
advantage after Kennedy missed the cut at last week’s PGM Championship.

However, Kennedy has
the advantage this week having made four appearances at the Taiheiyo Club to
Hendry’s one.

Kennedy is yet to miss
the cut here and has a best result of T9 in 2012 while Hendry teed up for the
first tie in 2015 and missed the 36-hole cut.

Won Joon Lee also
plays for the second time after finishing near the tail of the field in 2015
but brings some recent good form into the week with top-15 results in two of
his last three events.