A dual gender Australian Open will be played for the first time, with five-time champion Webb coming out of semi-retirement to chase another women's title alongside World No.6 Minjee Lee, and with The Open and Australian PGA champion Cameron Smith headlining the men's field.

West Australian Hannah Green, the 2018 KPMG Women's PGA champion, has already tasted victory in the format, winning the women's component of this year's Victorian Open, which has featured mixed fields since 2012.

With men's and women's groups teeing off alternatively, Victoria Golf Club and Kingston Heath will share hosting duties for the first two days starting Thursday, while the former will host the final two rounds.

Both fields will be cut to 60 players after 36 holes, then reduced to 30 after the third round, while the $3.4 million prizemoney will be shared evenly between the men and women.

Webb was the last local winner of the Women's Australian Open, triumphing in 2014 at Victoria, while she also won at Kingston Heath in 2008.

Olympian Scott Hend is skipping the tournament, saying he believes the men's and women's Opens deserved their own week for the event.

RIGHT: Hannah Green is an experienced winner in the mixed format. PHOTO: Australian Golf Media.

But seven-time major winner Webb is a fan of the mixed format, comparing it to the Australian Open tennis, which for a time was a men's only event and also played as separate men's and women's tournaments.

"I saw Scott's comments but when tennis started playing the slams together that lifted both profiles of the game," she said.

"There's been times in tennis where the women's game has lifted the men's game and vice versa.

"I do get his point, but I also think that this is something pretty special to be able to celebrate everyone at the same time.

"I think it will be a significant moment – it's a world first. No national Opens have been played concurrently, so Australia has really led the way in that format of professional golf.

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"You've seen it take off in other parts of the world, so I'm proud that it started here.

"Hopefully it's successful and it continues for years to come."

Green, who is currently ranked World No.20, said the mixed play at the Open could bring some challenges she didn't experience in her low-key runaway Vic Open win at 13th Beach.

"I saw Scott's comments but when tennis started playing the slams together that lifted both profiles of the game. I do get his point, but I also think that this is something pretty special to be able to celebrate everyone at the same time." - Karrie Webb.

"This is just a little bit different because there's some really big names with Cam Smith playing, Adam Scott, and these guys haven't played at home for a while," 25-year-old Green said.

"Playing with the crowds that they're going to draw might be the hard thing.

"Hopefully, I do draw my own crowd but even just like hearing a cheer from another fairway might impede while I'm hitting my shot."

But Green also gets a rare chance to play at the same tournament as her fiancé Jarryd Felton.

"I am quite excited to be playing a golf tournament the same time at the same venue with him," she said. "I think most girls will enjoy themselves."