No show ... Jason Day will miss the battle at Victoria. Source: Eric Gay / AFP Rising star Jason Day will miss the JBWere Masters after sinus surgery, but organisers are still spruiking the field as the greatest assembled in the tournament's 32-year history.
World No.35 Day put together an exceptional season with his win in the Byron Nelson Classic in May capping a year in which he finished 21st on the US Tour's money list.
While Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley are also absent, defending champion Tiger Woods will spearhead an event that also has Spanish crowd-pleaser Sergio Garcia and Columbian Camilo Villegas.
It will allow organisers to spread their high-profile players through the tee times, guaranteeing supporters full days of quality golf on Thursday and Friday.
Watch the JBWere Masters on Fox Sports 3 and 3HD from Thursday, November 11 at 7am (EDT)
Vice-president of tournament organiser IMG, David Rollo, has also secured Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Michael Sim and Brett Rumford.
Last year's runner-up Greg Chalmers will back up, but Cameron Percy, James Nitties, Mathew Goggin and Rod Pampling will be trying to secure their cards in the US PGA Tour's last event of the season.
"It's fantastic having Tiger back to defend his title, but when you add in Villegas and Garcia as well as Allenby and Ogilvy, you have five players who at some point have been in the top 15 in the world," Rollo said.
"Sergio has had a tough year, but he was top-10 in Spain last week, which is encouraging for him after a lengthy break, and he's someone who has been in the top echelon in world golf.
"He hasn't played in Melbourne for nine years, so it will be great to have him back. Sergio and Camilo are two of the most colourful players and with their personalities, it will be great to see their engagement with fans."
Victorian Percy, who played with Woods in the final group on Sunday last year, was hopeful of playing but must instead post solid numbers in the Children's Miracle Network Classic in Florida to keep his full playing rights.
"We understand guys like him who wanted to play, but have careers to look after as well," Rollo said.
While the buzz surrounding Woods has not been as intense this year, Rollo still says crowds will be strong.
"Ticket sales are at a different point to last year, but we are excited about where they are at. We will have phenomenal crowds next week. We are expecting somewhere between 70,000 and what we had last year over the four days."
More than 107,000 spectators attended the six days of last year's event at Kingston Heath.
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