Last week’s Japan Tour winner Brendan Jones leads a strong Australian challenge at the Asian Tour co-sanctioned Asia Pacific Diamond Cup in Ibaraki this week.

The tournament will see a total of 14 Australasians in the field, five Japan Tour regulars joining six Asian Tour players as well as amateurs Travis Smyth and Jediah Morgan.

Japan Tour stalwarts Matt Griffin, Adam Bland, Won Joon Lee, Brad Kennedy and the in-from New Zealander Michael Hendry tee up alongside Jones while Sam Brazel, Terry Pilkadaris, Kalem Richardson, Scott Barr, Unho Park and Adam Groom will represent the Asian Tour.

2016 marks the third staging of the event under the co-sanctioning arrangement though the tournament has a rich history on the Japan Tour dating back to 1973.

Two Australians have won the tournament in that time, Graham Marsh claiming the title in 1974 and again in 1982 while Brian Jones was a three-time winner in 1985, 1987 and 1988.

Brendan Jones will be among the favourites after taking out his 14th Tour title in Hokkaido last week though both Kennedy and the Kiwi Hendry have also been in excellent recent form.

Kennedy’s T40 behind Jones last week was his worst result since April while Hendry’s missed cut was his third of the season but in a year which has included five top-5 finishes in 13 starts.

Sam Brazel is the highest ranked of Australia’s Asian Tour players in the field and comes into the week off a missed cut last start at the European Masters in Switzerland three weeks ago.