Brad Kennedy returns to the Japan Golf Tour this week seeking to consolidate his position inside the top 10 on the moneylist and with positive memories of the Fujizakura Country Club layout.

Kennedy went down to the final few holes at the Sanctuary Cove Shootout on the Gold Coast recently and after missing last week’s RIZAP KBC Augusta tournament is back in the fold for the Fujisankei Classic 2018 starting Thursday.

A winner already on the Japan Golf Tour this season at the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational SEGA SAMMY Cup, Kennedy has finished tied for sixth at the Fujisankei Classic in 2015 and 2016, entering the final round two years ago in second spot before a disappointing 75 on Sunday.

With a win and a top-five finish to his name this season the 44-year-old sits eighth on the Japan Golf Tour moneylist with earnings this year of Y30,375,250, or the equivalent of close to $372,000.

The next highest Australian on the moneylist heading into the Fujisankei Classic is Canberra resident and prolific winner in Japan, Brendan Jones.

All told Jones has won 14 times in Japan with his last coming two years ago at the ANA Open Golf Tournament, his best result in the Fujisankei Classic coming in 2014 when he finished third courtesy of weekend rounds of 68 and 67.

Tied for 11th last week, Jones has four top-10s to his name in 2018 to sit 15th on the moneylist.

Other Australians in the field this week are Anthony Quayle, Won Joon Lee, Scott Strange, Matthew Griffin and David Bransdon as well as New Zealand’s Michael Hendry.

The PGA Tour-China schedule resumes this week at the Gary Player-designed course at Jinji Lake Golf Club for the Suzhou Open with a number of Aussies eyeing off the top end of the order of merit.

With five events remaining in the year, pressure is intensifying for those players seeking to end the year in the top five on the order of merit and secure a Web.com Tour card for 2019.

Currently sitting in 15th position, Max McCardle is the highest-ranked Australian but trails those in the top five by quite a considerable margin.

Top 15 at the Northern Territory PGA Championship a fortnight ago, Victorian Deyen Lawson is 26th on the moneylist from just four events with Bryden MacPherson, James Marchesani and Kiwi pair Luke Toomey and Campbell Rawson sitting inside the top 50.