Brad Kennedy’s brilliant start to the 2015
season included a runner-up finish at the Japan Tour Championship and he will
be looking to go one better when the tournament returns this week.

In five previous appearances at the prestigious event Kennedy has also posted a
third place finish and a T13 and the two time Tour winner would love nothing
more than to add to his victory tally this week.

Kennedy, who won the Holden NZ PGA on the
PGA Tour of Australasia in March, has been consistently knocking on the door
since the beginning of last Japan Tour season but has yet to be rewarded with a
win for his good play.

Another solid performance at last week’s
Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open suggests his game is in good shape and a third
Tour title is not beyond him this week.

Nine Australasians take their place in the
field, Kennedy joined by Matt Griffin, Scott Strange, Kurt Barnes, Aaron
Townsend, Adam Bland, Brendan Jones, Won Joon Lee and New Zealand’s Michael
Hendry.

Hendry was the pick of the finishers last
week at T5, that result a continuation of some building good form this year.

After posting his maiden Japan Tour win in
the first event of the 2015 season Hendry has struggled to recapture that form.
However, two good finishes in the last three weeks suggest that trend is
turning.

Scott Strange missed the cut at last week’s
tournament though that was likely a hangover from a disappointing final round
the week prior which cost him a chance at victory.

An opening 76 in this tournament last year
was not his best effort but he recovered nicely to make the cut and finish
mid-field so has a liking for the course.

The veteran Brendan Jones has been close at
this event in the past and after almost two years disrupted by injury is slowly
finding his form again.

A T10 at The Crowns tournament last month
has been his best result this year but his play has been brilliant in patches
and if he can minimise mistakes will be a factor this week.