The Fiji International golf tournament tees off on Thursday at the Natadola Bay Championship Course with more than the conventional trophy and prizemoney on offer to the field.
Brandt Snedeker is the top-ranked player in the field at 23 in the world and arrives in Fiji fresh from helping the United States regain the Ryder Cup.
Meanwhile there are eight Fijians are vying for hometown support, including former world number one Vijay Singh.
Fiji golfer Vijay Singh Photo: PGA of Australia
This year's tournament is co-sanctioned with the European Tour and CEO of the PGA of Australia, Brian Thorburn, believed it was the best yet.
"In terms of prizemoney we've gone from $AU1.25 million up to 1.5 million - an increase of about 30 percent. Due to our co-sanctioning with the European Tour we've got a much bigger broadcast platform," he said.
"We've got seven former PGA Tour winners ranging from Vijay Singh, Brandt Snedeker, Boo Weekley, Heath Slocum, Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard and Steve Bowditch and then a ton of other players: defending champion Steven Jeffress from 2014, Jarrod Lyle - so it's a great field, a much better field and the co-sanction with Europe has made it a better tournament as well."
American golfer Boo Weekley Photo: PGA of Australia
One of the added perks this year is the chance to win a genuine slice of Fiji.1619 square metre block of land
The first professional to land a hole in one on the 162 metre par three 13th hole during Sunday's final round will become the new owner of a 1619 square metre block of land adjacent to Natadola Bay beach.
And that was music to the ears of American Boo Weekley, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour.
"Really? Now that would be cool. I could get used to living here (laughing), I could get used to living here - that is cool. I had to think about that. What is a block of land here, that would be awesome," Weekley chuckled.
"I will be focusing on a hole in one (if still in contention for the title on Sunday). I'm going for a hole in one."
The tournament gets underway bright and early Thursday morning at the Natadola Bay Championship Course, with Vijay Singh's brother Krishna Singh among the first to tee off.
The Par 3 13th hole at the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course. Photo: PGA of Australia
