Karrie Webb is forecasting a stern examination for the field in this week’s Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale.

“I think it’s the hardest set up I’ve seen at Birkdale over the four times we’ve been here,” said three-time champion Webb ahead of Thursday’s opening round.

“The long stuff off the fairways is as thick and penalising as I’ve seen.”

World No.7 Webb heads a nine-strong Australian contingent which includes Sunday’s Ladies European Masters runner-up Nikki Campbell and teenage world No.1 amateur Minjee Lee.

They’re joined by Sarah-Jane Smith, Sarah Kemp and qualifiers Stacey Keating, amateur Su-Hyun Oh, Stephanie Na and Bree Arthur.

Arthur got in the hard way, winning a seven-way playoff for the final spot with a birdie at the first hole.

Webb has a great record in the championship, having won in 1995 and 1997 before it became a major and again in 2002.

The seven-time major champion is coming off a tidy 20th placing at five-under in the Ladies European Masters.

While praising the condition of the English course, Webb warned the field could struggle if the wind gets up.

“The game plan is a little different on some holes because where we’ve been able to bail in the long stuff in the past now it’s really not a great option.”

“My game is in pretty good shape. I need to trust and believe in what I’m doing.”

Campbell, 33, is appearing in only her fourth major, having played the majority of her golf in Japan.

“I have never made the cut in the British Open, so that obviously would be great,” said Campbell.

“I just want to play well and try to use the experience that I have had in the last couple of majors that I have played.

“The US Open was the first major cut I made. It is different golf in the majors, so I just want to keep getting better and hopefully improve each time I play in one.”

She agreed with Webb on the task ahead at Royal Birkdale.

“It’s tough, the start is tough, the first three or four holes are brutal and if it the wind blows it going to be really tough. It’s long and it’s very punishing if you are off line.”

The defending champion is the world No.1 Stacy Lewis who will start favourite, having won three times this year and amassed a tour-best $US1,881,227 ($A2 million) in prizemoney while racking up 13 top-10s.

Fellow Americans Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie, the season’s first two major winners, will expect to give Lewis a run for her money.