Queensland’s Brad Kennedy hasn’t had a great record at this weeks Japan Tour host venue, but with the 41-year-old in some of the best from of his life that is set to change this week.

Kennedy’s best result at the Fujizakira Country Club came when T11 in a rain shortened event in 2011 but given his results this year it would be a surprise were he not to surpass that this week.

Kennedy is part of a 10 strong Australasian contingent this week and the favourite for this tournament having climbed to third on the money list with his fourth top-3 finish in 10 starts last week.

Joining the in form Kennedy at the Fujisankei Classic are Brendan Jones, Kurt Barnes, Michael Hendry, Matt Griffin, David Smail, Won Joon Lee, Steve Conran, Scott Strange and Adam Bland.

Both Hendry and Bland got their seasons off to hot starts with wins at the first and third events of the year respectively but both have cooled since.

Hendry missed last week’s cut but has a best finish at this week’s event of T20 in three appearances. Bland played decent golf last week to finish T35 and will be looking to improve on his T21 finish from this week’s event in 2014.

Brendan Jones has been out of sorts for much of 2015 with just one top-10 from 10 starts as he battles back from wrist surgery last year but will bring good memories to this week’s tournament having finished third in 2014.

Matt Griffin returns to the Tour after more than a month off and will look to pick up where he left off with back-to-back top-15 finishes in his previous two events.

After a slow start to his rookie year in Japan Griffin has righted the ship with a T8 and T13 and will be aiming for a strong second half of the season when most of the Tour’s flagship events are played.

Kurt Barnes finds himself in the opposite situation, having started the year strong he has posted a WD and a missed cut in his last two starts and will be keen to turn things around this week.

Won Joon Lee has also cooled after a brilliant start to his rookie season in Japan when a T3 and T6 in his second and third events promised a breakout year.

He has since missed four cuts in five starts but for a player of his pedigree that is unlikely to last.

Scott Strange is having a consistent year in Japan with just one missed cut in 10 starts and is a good chance to continue that form having finished T17 at this venue last year.

For David Smail and Steve Conran the news hasn’t been as positive, both veterans struggling in 2015. Smail has missed eight cuts from 12 starts while Conran has missed six of 10.