Underdog Australians Sam Brazel and Matthew Griffin insist they're not just making up the numbers in a star-studded field at this week's World Golf Championship event in Mexico.
Brazel and Griffin will fly under the radar with 49 of the world's top 50 ranked players teeing it up in Mexico City, with only ill world No.2 Jason Day a notable absentee.
Compatriot Adam Scott is the defending champion at the 78-man event which starts Friday AEDT at the Club de Golf Chapultepec.
Tamworth product Brazel garnered headlines in December when, ranked world No.480, he won the European Tour co-sanctioned Hong Kong Open with a birdie on the final hole.
The 38-year-old gained a two-year exemption on the Europe tour and secured a start in Mexico this week courtesy of his sixth-place ranking on its Race to Dubai money list.
With two recent top-25 finishes at the World Super 6 Perth and Maybank Malaysian championship, Brazel isn't intimidated by tournament headliners such as world No.1 Dustin Johnson and No.3 Rory McIlroy.
"I'm probably not expected to do very well, but I'm not going to change my game plan just because the big boys are here," said Brazel, the world No.122.
With Club de Golf Chapultepec having the highest altitude of any US PGA Tour venue - 7800 feet above sea level - Brazel believes the extra distance afforded from thin air suits his game.
"The course sets up pretty good for me; it's not overly long and the altitude enhances my distance so I can compete with some of the big hitters."
Victorian native Griffin gained entry to the elite WGC field with his 2016 Australasian order of merit victory, highlighted by the 33-year-old's New Zealand Open win in March.
The world No.392 believes Club de Golf Chapultepec's similarities to Japanese tour venues affords him an advantage.
"Playing in Japan, this resembles what we see every week, so I'm feeling really comfortable," said Griffin.
"It's good to fly under the radar. There's no cut here so I can give it a real crack. I'm here to contend, not just make up the numbers."
Rounding out the Australian contingent at Mexico is world No.68 Scott Hend, who won the Asian Tour's 2016 Order of Merit and Marcus Fraser who finished second on the money list.
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