The PGA Tour season ended last week capped off by a Jordan Spieth winning the FedEx Cup, the Tour Championship, and the PGA Tour Player of the year; Spieth became the youngest to win the title since Tiger Woods. Although the PGA season is over, there is still one major tournament left to be played. One can argue that this tournament is the most important of the year as some of the best golfers in the world will be pitted against each other for national and patriotic pride.

The 2015 Presidents Cup kicks off tomorrow in Incheon, South Korea but due to the time zone difference will be viewable starting at 10pm EST for us in the US. Yes, the time zone difference will prove difficult in watching live golf or not allowing the results to be ruined through other sources of media, but this event will surely be full of fireworks.

Similar to the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup pits the best US golfers in the world against the best around the world. The one difference is that the Ryder Cup is the US against the Europe while The Presidents Cup is the US against the rest of the world, excluding Europe. Expect to see a number of Australians on the International squad as they have been a dominant force in 2015.

Some have gone so far as to say that match play is the true measure of a golfer as it’s a combination of strategies. A player must focus on their game, their opponent’s strategy and outcomes all while navigating their way around a tough course and lay out. Tie in a few formats that include alternate shots or two man best ball and you may just confuse yourself.

First, let’s take a look at the formats and try to better explain each:

Two Man One Ball:

This format is known in the golfing world as “best ball”. Each player plays their own shots each hole. The best score between the team of two golfers is used against the best score from their opponents – lowest score wins the hole.

Alternate Shot:

Arguably the trickiest format as US Captain Jay Haas and International Captain Nick Price must try to pair two players finding the right combination of power and finesse. Player A takes shot 1 and Player B takes shot two and continue in this format until the ball finds its way to the bottom of the cup. This format is extremely tricky and has proven to be the US’ Achilles heel in past President’s and Ryder Cups.

1 - 1 Match Play:

The final session of the Presidents Cup is simply one on one. Each player is matched against their opponent in a straight up match play style event. Golfers are forced to play their opponents rather than the course in this scenario. Don’t be too surprised to see a player layup or hit a lag putt if their opponent is in trouble off the tee or around the green.

Now that we have the formats covered let’s take a look at the rosters of the US and International squads as determined by point allocations throughout the year and captains’ picks:

US Team (Captain Jay Haas):

Jordan Spieth – World #1 and PGA Player of the year. A beast in match play format.

Bubba Watson – Expect to see Bubba partnered with guys who will be able to keep him levelheaded while also allowing his personality to come out – Kuchar, Kirk, Holmes.

Jimmy Walker – Quiet but steady Walker has become an American staple in match play events.

Zach Johnson – 2015 British Open winner playing like he has something to prove.

Rickie Fowler – Surged at the end of the PGA Tour season - solid in match play especially when paired with close friend Phil Mickelson.

Dustin Johnson – Is in need of a big performance to feel better about the let downs at this year’s US and British Opens.

Patrick Reed – Arguably the most competitive and fiery golfer in the world, Reed thrives off of pressure and being on the big stage. Would love to see him paired with Spieth to rediscover the magic they had in the last Ryder Cup. The x-factor ability is strong with Reed.

Matt Kuchar – “Steady Eddy” Kuchar needs to get the flat stick going if he wants to play in more than 1 or 2 sessions.

Chris Kirk – Barely present in the 2015 PGA season, it’ll be interesting to see where Kirk falls into Jay Haas’ game plan.

JB Holmes – A great partner for Bubba Watson, JB Holmes hits it long and has the iron game to match. Could potentially be the X-Factor for the US Squad along with Patrick Reed.

Bill Haas (Captain’s Pick) – His dad is the captain but that does not discount the young Haas’ big game ability. A previous FedEx Cup champion, Haas will enjoy being back in the spotlight

Phil Mickelson (Captain’s Pick) – What would an International event be without both Tiger Woods and Phil? Mickelson’s experience and competitive nature pairs perfectly with Rickie Fowler’s, it’ll be best for everyone involved to pair them up nearly every session possible.

International Team (Captain Nick Price):

Jason Day – Some may argue Day should’ve been named the PGA Tour player of the year. Has fan favorite Day saved his best golf for last?

Louis Oosthuizen – Louie sightings were few and far between in 2015. The South African will need to find the magic he had at the 2015 British Open to be a factor.

Adam Scott – Scott was relatively absent in 2015 as he struggled on and off with his putter.

Hideki Matsuyama – The pairing of Day and Matsuyama could be dangerous. Matsuyama was extremely consistent during the PGA Tour season, the success should continue this weekend as well.

Branden Grace – Another South African, Branden Grace had four Top 10’s in 2015 including a solo third at the PGA Championship. It would be great to see an all-South African pairing with Oosthuizen or Schwartzel but don’t expect to understand a word of what they are saying to each other.

Marc Leishman – Health issues with his wife hindered Leishman’s ability to focus primarily on golf for the majority of the season. It would be great to see him be a focal point for an International rally this weekend.

Anirban Lahiri – The only Indian born player on the team Lahiri proved to be a strong competitor in the last President’s Cup. His game is steady and he has the ability to play his opponent rather than the course.

Charl Schwartzel – The one time Masters Champion has been rather quiet since his ground breaking win. Will this event help him find the game many grew accustom to seeing?

Thongchai Jaidee – A relative unknown to many US Golf fans, Jaidee has been one of the more consistent faces on tour and in match play events. Be careful for him this time around.

Danny Lee – The International’s X-factor comes from Incheon born Lee. The hometown hero will look to please the crowd and snatch the Presidents Cup from the hands of the US contingency.

Steven Bowditch (Captain’s Pick) - With one win on Tour in 2015, Bowditch’s game caught the eye of Captain Nick Price. He could be a great partner for struggling Adam Scott or steady Lahiri.

Sangmoon Bae (Captain’s Pick) – This may be the best pick for either side as Bae is leaving the PGA Tour after this event to serve his mandatory military service in the South Korean Army. Everyone should be cheering him on as who knows when the next time we see him will be.

There you have it folks, a breakdown and introduction to the 2015 Presidents Cup. On paper the US has a significant advantage with several of their golfers in the top 10 and 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings, but do not simply discount the International squad as Nick Price is a savvy veteran and will certainly have some tricks up his sleeve. With each match being worth 1 point and a total of 15.5 points needed to win the Cup, there will be plenty of golf to watch and enjoy as the season ends for many of us around the country. As always, enjoy the golf and be sure to tune in to the live coverage late night or the replays but do yourself a favor and turn off your smartphone notifications if you don’t want the outcomes to be ruined before you even watch.