Jason Norris is delighted to be back at the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways as the defending champion looks to kick-start his season at Natadola Bay Golf Club.
The Australian was a hugely popular winner in the Pacific last season, as he won his first European Tour event at the age of 44 just a week after working part time in his local pro shop.
A back injury has hampered his progress since, with just five made cuts in 21 events, but Norris is hopeful that a return to a happy hunting ground can spur him back into the winner's circle.
"It's a great thrill to be back," he said. "It's all happening here. We've done an opening ceremony. The weather's perfect and the course is great so it's just awesome to be back.
"I've defended secondary Tour events and it's great fun but this is the next level and it's just good to be back.
"You have good vibes going through your body, you have good feelings and it's always good to come back to where you've played well. I'm really looking forward to getting out there and just doing it again."
Norris' best finish so far this term is a tie for 27th at the Volvo China Open but he is confident he can improve on that, with his injury woes fading at just the right time.
"It started coming good the last three weeks to a month, which is good for obviously this week and the remainder of the year," he said.
"I struggled pretty much early on in the year. I had only one good event in Asia, other than that it's been a bit of a struggle with the travel and a lot of golf. I've just been working hard in the gym and trying to get it rolling."
You have good vibes going through your body, you have good feelings and it's always good to come back to where you've played well - Jason Norris
Local hero Vijay Singh and 28-time European Tour winner Ernie Els will draw some of the biggest crowds this week with seven Major Championships between them, and Norris is delighted to have a strong field taking on the unique challenge of Natadola Bay.
"There's a great field here," he said. "Ernie's come over and obviously Vijay's back again, two world-class players obviously we've all grown up with. It's a thrill to be playing with them and it's good to see Australian golf and Fiji golf with such good players.
"Someone said it's in better condition than last year, which is amazing. The new greens have settled in and are in fantastic condition I've heard. It's one of my favourite golf courses, I've said that before I won, I said it after I won. It's definitely a great golf course and I look forward to getting out there.
"If you're playing well, the wind doesn't affect you. It's when you're off the wind really affects you. Last year I obviously played pretty good and the wind didn't bother me for a couple of rounds but the weekend was really good last year. I think it's a course where you always get wind and you have to play good shots in the wind."
