Only in 2017 - after it had been banned from hosting the men's Open - did Muirfield finally vote to admit women as members.

Swede Anna Nordqvist is the defending champion and due to play with Filipino Asian Games champion Yuka Saso and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit - both past major winners.

Japan's Ayaka Furue won last week's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links to earn a maiden Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour victory and is in another headline three-ball.

Australia's Hannah Green and South Korea's Lee Jeong-eun - often stylised as Lee6 - are Furue's playing partners. 

Both won majors in 2019.

However, it is the group boasting the world's three highest-ranked players which is likely to garner the most focus on day one.

Olympic champion Nelly Korda, world number one Ko Jin-young and Minjee Lee - who won the US Open earlier in 2022 - are due to tee off together.

Australian Lee has two LPGA Tour wins this season, including that second triumph in a major, and South Korea's Ko has one.

American Korda is still waiting for her first win of a season undermined by missing time because of a blood clot in her arm.

Canada's Brooke Henderson is perhaps the most in-form player in the field, with two tournament wins in the last two months, including victory at the Evian Championship in France - the major played.

Four rounds are scheduled at Muirfield, with the tournament due to reach its climax on Sunday (August 7).