Former regular Paul Sheehan will make a rare appearance on the Japan Tour this week when he is part of a nine strong Australasian contingent to tackle the Japan PGA Championship.

Sheehan, a two time winner in Japan, hasn’t played a full schedule since 2012 though did play this event last year as well.

He will be hoping to improve on his 2014 performance where he missed the cut but will likely not have high expectations having played limited tournament golf recently.

No Australasian has ever won this prestigious Japan Tour title which moves venue each year but there is no reason why 2015 can’t prove the breakthrough.

Michael Hendry, Adam Bland, Brendan Jones, Scott Strange, David Smail, Brad Kennedy and Kurt Barnes all take their place in this week’s field, all proven performers on the Japan circuit, while Peter Wilson is playing his rookie year but was a two time winner on the development circuit last year.

Jones is Australia’s most successful Japan Tour player with 13 victories though despite some close calls has never won this tournament.

New Zealand’s Michael Hendry won his maiden Japan Tour title at the first event of the year and Brad Kennedy, Kurt Barnes, Steven Conran and David Smail are all previous winners on the Tour.

Only Scott Strange and Adam Bland have yet to post victories but both have been in the mix enough to be considered genuine chances in any given week.