Fijian Professional Sam Lee tees off in this week’s Higgins Fiji Open with one eye on sealing a place in the 2017 Fiji International to be held at his home course at Natadola Bay on August 17-21.

Fresh off a top-20 finish in the SP Brewery PNG Open earlier this month, Lee said the hard work he’s put in to his game in the lead up to the Fiji Open is beginning to yield results.

“I have been working really hard on my game this year, and I’m really excited to see improvement,” Lee said.

“I’ve seen improvement in my game from the PNG Open, and I do feel confident going into the Fiji Open, I found out what I need to improve as well after playing in PNG, as I prepare for the Fiji International.”

The winner of the Higgins Fiji Open automatically receives an invitation to play the Fiji International, while the highest finishing Fijian local also receives a spot in the tournament.

“This year I set my goal to win the Fiji Open, last year I took the best local player’s Spot for the Fiji International but this year I feel like I have a chance to win it.”

It would be a massive confidence boost for the 26-year-old who has always managed to finish in the prizemoney, making the cut in the last two Fiji International’s.

He said his local knowledge of the Natadola Bay course and the often unforgiving wind which blows across the 18 holes.

“The last two Fiji Internationals I have played, I played quite well and I was the only local to make the cut. I have been practicing at Natadola Bay Golf Club everyday for the last two years so I was accustomed to the brutal winds there,” Lee added.

“Only last year, the first two rounds were different, having very little wind. As long as the wind blows as usual, I will have some advantage over guys who come over for the first time.”

However, with Natadola Bay currently undergoing course renovations ahead of this year’s Fiji International, Lee said he expects the field will take advantage of the improved greens, making for tougher competition in 2017.

“After the renovation I think the course will be more generous to all levels of players. I found the greens very difficult to play on with the wind but after the re-design it would be interesting to see how it turns out.

“Unfortunately, I won’t get to play it until it opens for the Fiji International so I would be at the same level as the other players in the field.”

Lee has a tough task ahead of him this week with a strong field including New Zealand’s Matt Toomey, Nick Gillespie and Keiran Muir who are all regular players on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

The Higgins Fiji Open begins Wednesday 17 May and concludes Saturday 20 May.