Australia’s Olympic representatives return to action for the first time since the Rio Games this week when Marcus Fraser and Scott Hend tee up at the European Masters in Switzerland.

The pair are part of a seven strong Australian presence at the Crans-sur –Sierre Golf Club, one of the most picturesque and popular tournament venues on the European Tour schedule.

The tournament is co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour but Sam Brazel is the only Australian beneficiary of the arrangement this year, the other six all European Tour regulars.

Fraser and Hend are joined by fellow Euro Tour regulars Brett Rumford, Andrew Dodt, Richard Green and Nathan Holman in a tournament which has boasted just two Australian winners in its 43 year history.

One of those belonged to Graham Marsh in the inaugural event in 1972 while Brett Rumford was the other to hoist the trophy with a win in 2007.

The West Australian was fuming after missing the cut last week with a double bogey at his 36^th hole and will be motivated to exact revenge this week on a course where he has missed the cut just twice in 15 starts.

Another who will be keen for the gun to go off Thursday is Richard Green who continued some recent resurgent play when he was the only Australian to make the cut in Denmark.

Green has been an infrequent visitor to Crans Sur Sierre but his two most recent appearances, in 2014 and 2015, have yielded a 12^th and a T10, his second round 64 in 2014 a highlight.

Following on from his close call at the Olympics Marcus Fraser also has some good memories to draw on in Switzerland with a runner-up finish in 2012 his best in 12 starts.

With his 2016 already a success courtesy of a win in February and his brilliant play in Rio, Fraser will be playing with plenty of freedom and could be a danger this week.

Fellow Olympian Scott Hend has had less success here with four missed cuts and a best of T26 in his six starts but with fellow Queenslander Tony Carolan back on the bag this week after a lengthy break his mood will be bullish.

Nathan Holman and Andrew Dodt are both in need of a good performance this week, Dodt making just one cut in his last five starts and Holman on a run of four consecutive missed weekends.