Matt Jones will be one of 12 former champions in the field at this year's Australian Open.
Golf Australia confirmed on Tuesday Jones' participation at the tournament to be played at The Australian Golf Club, Rosebery from December 5 to 8.
Jones, from Oyster Bay, won the 2015 Australian Open which was also played at The Australian, his home course as a junior.
The 39-year-old has been hamstrung in his wish to return to Australia in recent years by his own need to firm up his playing rights in the United States, with Jones forced to miss defending his Australian Open title in 2016.
But when he has been home Jones has been stellar, finishing in the top 10 five times in his most recent eight starts including being first and second in his last two Australian Opens at his home course, where he'll return next month.
As well as Jones, 1999 and 2000 champion Aaron Baddeley has also entered alongside Abraham Ancer. Ancer became the first Mexican to win the Australian Open last year and returns to Sydney in a positive frame of mind having won his spot on the Internationals Presidents Cup team.
All the other returning champions are homegrown. Greg Chalmers, Stephen Allan, John Senden, Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby and Craig Parry, who has "tentatively entered", have all played less golf than in previous build-ups.
But dual champ Peter Lonard, hometown hero Cam Davis and world No.17 Adam Scott have all been in full flight, albeit on different stages, in the past few months.
Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt was delighted to see such a response from heroes of the Australian game.
"No doubt they all harbour ambitions to lift the Stonehaven Cup again but whether they can or not, there will be plenty of people at The Australian who will acknowledge all they've already done for Australian golf," he said.
"It's a treat for all golf fans to see their heroes in full flight and they've all played their part in shaping our national championship's storied history."
