The President's Cup
Courtesy: AP

This is effectively the Last Hurrah of the 2007 golf season. It's the final time that the world's top players - or most of them, at least - will be gathered to compete against each other.

And it will be a good one.

Day one of the President's Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

In the weeks leading up to the President's Cup, many of the players and many of the fans were focused elsewhere. After all, there was all that noise being made about the FedEx Cup.

PGA Commissioner, Tim Finchem, promised that the Tour would promote the President's Cup like crazy once the FedEx Cup was done and he's been as good as his word.

There is a very large spotlight being focused on Royal Montreal this week and with good reason.

The best of America versus the best of The Rest of the World except Europe. The President's Cup is the chance for non European, non-American golfers to strut their stuff and prove that they are as ready, willing and able as their European counterparts to take the Americans apart.

But it won't be easy. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Zach Johnson are proven winners of big tournaments.

Still, if we look at past individual President's Cup records, the American squad is nothing to write home about. Their individual stats pretty much resemble their Ryder Cup records - mediocre at best. And that goes double for Tiger and Phil.

But when the International field is lined up, their President's Cup records are pretty shabby, too. The only bright spots are Retief Goosen, Ernie Els and Adam Scott. Canadian Mike Weir ranks close behind at 8-6-0. Hardly stellar numbers.

In terms of the format, there are some major differences - from the length of the tournament to how captains can match pairings, much like a home-team hockey coach can match a line during a game.

Frankly, even though America seems to find the President's Cup a much easier proposition than the Ryder Cup, this one is no gimme for the USA. And it's no gimme for the International team, either.

So flip a coin. My hunch is the team that wins is the one that bonds the most. It's trite to say that, I know, but honestly, that is likely how it will go.

And the wild card in all this will be the hangover effects of the recently concluded FedEx Cup. Will Tiger and Phil, in particular, have any mental energy left for four straight days of head to head competition?

Play begins early this afternoon, Eastern Time with full wire-to-wire TV coverage. I shall be watching closely.