Newcastle’s Kurt Barnes will be trying to draw on good memories when he returns to the site of his only Japan Tour victory this week.

Barnes won the ANA Open in 2011 but 2016 has been a lean year for the 35-year-old who finds himself languishing at 84th on the Order of Merit.

With just four cuts made in 10 starts for the year, Barnes is in need of a resurgence and teeing up again at the Sapporo Golf Club might be just the tonic he needs.

Barnes is one of eight Australasians in this week’s field, the in-form Brad Kennedy and Michael Hendry among those to watch.

Both appear on the verge of a breakthrough after posting multiple top-5 finishes in recent weeks. Hendry sits fourth on the Order of Merit while Kennedy is seventh.

Also playing this week are Matt Griffin, Scott Strange, Won Joon Lee and Australia’s most successful Japan Tour player, Brendan Jones.