Australia is set to field its smallest Masters contingent in five years unless Greg Chalmers or one of his four countrymen can win their way into Augusta at this week's Houston Open.
Only 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith are in the field for the first major of 2018.
Smith was the lone Australian to climb inside the world's top 50 golfers in time for Monday's final qualification cut-off, with no other golfer from down under inside the top 100 on the rankings.
The last time only four Australians contested the Masters was 2013, when champion Scott, Jason Day (3rd), Marc Leishman (tied fourth) and John Senden (tied 35th) teed it up.
Chalmers, as well as compatriots Aaron Baddeley, Matt Jones, Geoff Ogilvy and Rod Pampling, are among 125 players at the Golf Club in Houston who are not exempt for Augusta.
But Chalmers has welcomed the challenge of the event being a last chance saloon.
"I think everybody who isn't in the Masters knows this is your last real opportunity to get in," Chalmers told AAP from Houston.
"It's a really big carrot dangling in front of you and I think everybody has a small part of their brain thinking, 'this could be the week to get myself in.'
"It's definitely a cool part of the event being the date they've got."
The last Australian to pull the rabbit out of the hat in Houston was Sydney native Jones in 2014, when he miraculously came from six shots behind the lead before chipping in from off the green to win a sudden-death play-off.
While trying to block out the Masters undertone, Baddeley admits he is inspired by the fact an opportunity can always present itself.
"Anything can happen; you saw what 'Jonesy' did in 2014," Baddeley said.
"You just have to remember you're never out of it, if you keep yourself around the lead in time for the back nine on Sunday."
Two-time Australian Open winner Baddeley has a solid record at Houston, with last year's share of 15th one of three career top 15s there.
He also leads the US Tour in strokes gained around the green and ranks third in scrambling.
"I feel I've been playing some good golf; I was in there with a chance to win (the US Tour event in Los Angeles) at Riviera last month," Baddeley said.
"I've played nicely at Houston in the past. I've had a lot of good results and I really like the course."
Headlining the 144-man Houston field are big guns Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.
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