New Zealander Josh Geary is set to defend his John Hughes Nexus Risk Services WA Open Championship title this week from the 16-19 October 2014 at Cottesloe Golf Club.

Geary notched up his first win on the PGA Tour of Australasia when he won the WA Open last year at the Mount Lawley Golf Club.

It was a significant victory for the New Zealander as it secured his status on the PGA Tour of Australasia and provided him starts in all the big tournaments of the summer.

This year, Geary returns to the WA Open with good memories.

"Being back at this event gives me confidence, I have nice memories of winning last year," said Geary.

"It makes it a little tougher that we have changed courses, it would have been nice to defend on the same track."

Arriving in Perth from first stage Web.com Tour Qualifying School in the US, Geary believes he has regained his feel for the game.

"I am a bit tired from all the travel but my game is in good shape. I am looking forward to getting out on course; I have heard good things about it," added Geary.

"I didn’t get through to second stage unfortunately; I hit the ball well but just didn’t get anything going on the greens."

"I figured something out late in the last round, it was too late for last week but it’s looking good for the rest of the summer."

"As a player you’re always messing with feels and things. It was just a small fine tuning but it clicked."

Winning a tournament back-to-back is always a tough prospect; the last person to do so at the WA Open Championship was Terry Gale in 1982 and 1983.

Geary who turns 30-years-old next month wasn’t born when Gale achieved the feat but is aiming to emulate it this week.

"There is always a chance to go back-to-back, I have been playing well and it would be great to do it," added Geary.

The John Hughes Nexus Risk Services WA Open Championship will be played at Cottesloe Golf Club in Perth, from 16-19 October.

Being played for a prize purse of AU$110,000 the winner also receives Official World Golf Ranking Points and becomes fully exempt on to the PGA Tour of Australasia for the remainder of this season plus a further two years.