Newcastle native Jake Higginbottom has taken advantage of the Hunter swing of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series to tune up ahead of his return to the Asian Tour this week at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei.

With four events in the next five weeks it is a critical period for the strong Aussie contingent pushing to finish the year inside the top 60 in the Habitat for Humanity Standings and retain their playing rights for 2019.

With Daniel Nisbet back home in Brisbane nursing a back injury, Terry Pilkadaris is the leading Aussie on the Order of Merit who is in the field this week in 28th position closely followed by Kiwi Ben Campbell in 35th and Travis Smyth, who moved up from 52nd to 44th with his strong showing in Japan last week.

After missing the cut in four of the first five tournaments he played on the Asian Tour this year Higginbottom has shown improvement in recent times, including some good showings in a couple of pro-ams close to home.

A round of 4-under 66 saw the 24-year-old finished tied for second at the Greater Bank Merewether Golf Club Pro-Am and was tied for 16th at the Muree Golf Club Pro-Am, giving him the confidence to build on his last start at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea.

Currently 81st in the HFH standings, Higginbottom could use a good week in Taiwan where he missed the cut last year due to a second round of 78.

Pilkadaris was the best performed Aussie last year with a tie for 23rd but there is a much stronger presence this year with Andrew Martin, Jarryd Felton, Travis Smyth, Steven Jeffress, Adam Blyth, Josh Younger, Maverick Antcliff and James Marchesani all teeing it up.

There are seven Australians in the field for the Japan Golf Tour’s TOP Cup Tokai Classic on the West Course at the Miyoshi Country Club.

With Brad Kennedy opting not to play this week there is a great opportunity for countryman to make a move on the Order of Merit with Brendan Jones currently sitting in 17th position.

Tied for fourth in this event on the same course in 2010, Jones was also tied for 15th in 2015 so is familiar with the layout and can call on positive memories of the past.

Matthew Griffin (24th), Anthony Quayle (37th), David Bransdon (44th) and New Zealand’s Michael Hendry (47th) are comfortably inside the top 60 on the Order of Merit as the Japan Golf Tour ramps up while others in the field this week such as Won Joon Lee (61st), Scott Strange (120th) and Todd Sinnott (183rd) have work to do.

The PGA Tour-China moves to Macau this week for the Macau Championship at picturesque Caesars Golf Macau where Kiwi Nick Voke and Max McCardle can push for a place in the top five on the Order of Merit and a 2019 Web.com Tour card.

In just two events Voke has rocketed into 13th position on the moneylist with McCardle just two spots further back.

Joining Voke and McCardle in the field this week are Jack Munro, Andrew Schonewille, Kevin Yuan, DJ Loypur, Bryden MacPherson, Sean Underwood, Sam Earl, Peter Martin along with Kiwis Luke Toomey and Shane Kuitti.