With most of the top players in China for this week’s WGC event the Sanderson Farms Championship presents a golden opportunity for a number of Australians on the fringes of the PGA TOUR.

Aaron Baddeley and Cameron Percy, who both lost their full cards at the end of last season, are both in the field as is Jarrod Lyle as he continues his comeback.

Baddeley plays the tournament for the third time though this will be his first appearance at this week’s host course, Country Club of Jackson. He has a T17 and missed cut on his resume but hungry to earn back his TOUR playing rights could be a factor this week.

Percy has made one more appearance than Baddeley with his only missed cut coming last year when the event moved to this course.

Like his fellow Victorian, Percy will be keen to regain playing rights on the TOUR and with limited opportunities in the big leagues knows he needs to perform every chance he gets.

For Lyle this is the second of 10 starts he is entitled to as part of his major medical exemption and while he missed the cut at the Fry’s two weeks ago a first round 69 showed promise.

After a long lay-off from competitive golf Lyle will expect some rust in his game but will also expect an improved performance this week.

He has played this tournament three times for three missed cuts but has never played at this course and his last appearance in the tournament was 2011.

Web.com graduates Rhein Gibson and Rod Pampling also tee up this week knowing these early season events are the best time to build FedEx Cup points towards keeping playing rights next season.

Gibson has already played the first two events as a TOUR Member without making a cut but after a hectic schedule leading up to the start of the season will be better for having a break last week.

Pampling is teeing up for the first time since earning back his card and after a solid season on the secondary Tour, including a win, is in position to make a good start.

He played the Sanderson Farms last year and made the cut though with his ball striking back to a level he is happy with will want to improve on scores of 74-68-73-74.

Robert Allenby and Mark Hensby round out the Australian challenge, Hensby gaining his first start since the Canadian Open in August and Allenby making use of his career money list exemption.