A 13 strong Australian contingent will tee up at the popular Dunhill Links Championship this week as celebrities and golfers take centre stage over three of Scotland’s most famous layouts, including the Old Course at St Andrews.

The pro-am format of the event attracts a strong field as players invite friends and family to take part in a rare opportunity to play world-class golf courses under tournament conditions.

With 10 places available to players finishing in the top 30 on the 2014 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, the week represents a great opportunity for golfers such as Jake Higginbottom and Dimi Papadatos, among others.

Those two join Terry Pilkadaris, Steven Jeffress, Nick Cullen, Steve Dartnall, Ryan Fox, Mark Brown, Josh Younger and Euro Tour regular Wade Ormsby who qualified in this category.

Richard Green, Scott Hend, Andrew Dodt and Marcus Fraser round out the Australians with Jason Scrivener and Daniel Gaunt on the alternates list.

No Australian has won the event since its inception in 2001 but if history is anything to go by Scott Hend might be the one to watch after a strong performance last week.

While his record in the event is less than stellar the big hitting Queenslander is the ultimate confidence player and after a brilliant final round in Germany last week, including a five birdie back nine Sunday, he will be keen to play this week.

In past years Hend’s nemesis has been the Kingsbarns Course, one of three in the rotation alongside Carnoustie and the Old Course, and if he can manage his game well there he is comfortable on the other two.

Those who make the cut play the Old Course twice and, despite missing the weekend at the Open there in July, Hend has a decent track record at the home of golf and was a victim of the worst of the conditions three months ago.