Queensland’s Brad Kennedy will likely be
the most confident golfer in the field at this week’s Kansai Open on the Japan
Golf Tour.

In three previous starts Kennedy’s worst
finish is T3, in 2014, to go with a victory in 2013 and a runner-up result last
year.

The win in 2013 was Kennedy’s second on the
Tour and despite some close calls since, remains his last to date.

Kennedy is one of nine Australasians teeing
up this week, joined in the field by Matt Griffin, Brendan Jones, Adam Bland,
Michael Hendry, Won Joon Lee, Aaron Townsend, Scott Strange and Kurt Barnes.

Won Joon Lee will also be confident heading
into the week having finished T3 here last year in his rookie Japan Tour
season.

The result is still the big hitting Sydney
sider’s best to date but his attacking style will be suited to what is
traditionally a low scoring tournament.

Fellow 2015 rookie Griffin also has his
tail up after posting his best Japan Tour finish last start, a T5 at the
prestigious Crowns event three weeks ago.

While he was mid-field at this event in his
only appearance in 2015, Griffin will be more confident heading to the first
tee Thursday as he continues to impress in Japan.

Rookie Aaron Townsend, who earned his card
at the 2015 Q-School, makes his third start for the season after a T23 at the
Myanmar Open and a missed cut last start a month ago at the Token Homemate Cup.