Impressive rookie Ben Eccles and big hitting star of last year’s Australian Open Lincoln Tighe headline a seven strong Australian challenge at the European Tour’s Tshwane Open this week.

The pair have been extended invitations to the tournament, a huge opportunity for both who have no official status outside Australia.

Eccles turned Professional on the back of a stunning win at the NSW Open last year and heads to South Africa with some form on the board, a T5 finish at last week’s Vic Open fresh in his mind.

Tighe, too, faces a big opportunity at this week’s tournament, the Wollongong native one of the most powerful players in world golf whose game has matured in recent years.

His impressive play at The Australian last year was as much about better course management as his immense power game and as he continues to further harness that talent his results will continue to improve.

The highest ranked Australian playing this week is Brett Rumford who will have mixed feelings about teeing up.

Rumford was T10 after rounds of 64-70 last year when he was struck down with illness and forced to undergo emergency surgery.

After 30cm of his small intestine was removed the West Australian suffered a traumatic time in the South African hospital system and admitted over the Australian summer he was only approaching full recovery some nine months later.

However, he showed a liking for the course last year and will be keen to post a high finish after a solid start to his 2016 in the Middle East.

Also in the field this week are Jason Scrivener, Dimi Papadatos and Daniel Gaunt.

Scrivener, who didn’t play this event last year, has made the cut in both his European Tour starts in 2016 and will be keen to keep that trend going this week.

Gaunt also plays the Tshwane Open for the first time though his start to the season has been less successful with two missed cuts in two starts since the New Year.