It’s not the first event of the PGA TOUR’s wrap around season but this week’s Tournament of Champions signals the beginning of a promising 2015 for Australians on the world’s most lucrative Tour.

Of the 34 golfers in the winners only field this week five are from Down Under with a sixth, Adam Scott, also eligible but electing not to play.

A mix of old and new Australian names grace the tee sheet at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii after a breakout 2014 which saw six PGA TOUR titles fall into Australian hands.

Steven Bowditch and Matt Jones will make their first trip to the event after each posting their maiden victory during 2014 while Geoff Ogilvy, twice a winner of the tournament, tees up for the fifth time, but first in four years, courtesy of a resurgent year.

John Senden and Jason Day both make a second appearance in Hawaii after early 2014 triumphs at the Valspar (Senden) and WGC Matchplay (Day).

Ogilvy is the Australian attracting most attention in the lead-up having won the Tournament of Champions back to back in 2009-2010 on a course he says is among the best on TOUR.

An in-depth Q&A with the 2006 US Open winner graces the home page of PGATOUR.com as part of the preview to the tournament but the TOUR’s analyst Rob Bolton has opted for Jason Day as the man most likely to take home the trophy this week.

In his weekly Power Rankings column Bolton says Day’s T9 at his only other appearance in 2011, plus a 5th place finish at December’s Hero World Challenge event, make him the favourite.

However, among the Australians it is Steven Bowditch who might prove the surprise performer.

The Plantation Course features wide fairways and huge greens and long hitters who putt well have traditionally succeeded at Kapalua.

Bowditch is consistently in the top-15 in driving distance on the TOUR and so far this season ranks 15th in the crucial Strokes Gained Putting category.

The Queenslander played some excellent golf over the Australian summer, though less consistent than he might have liked, but with no cut this week the ability to free wheel should suit his attacking style.

The Tournament of Champions begins a day later than most TOUR events so will run from Saturday to Tuesday Australian time.