Get ready for the most Canadian Presidents Cup ever

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Canada is set to put its stamp on one of golf's top "best-on-best" competitions as the Presidents Cup tees off Thursday at Royal Montreal.

Like the Ryder Cup and the women's Solheim Cup, this event pits the United States against another international entity in a series of pairs and singles matches played over several days. The main difference is that while those other two events are the U.S. vs. Europe, the Presidents Cup sees a team of American men take on a more patchwork International squad of golfers from anywhere else in the world except Europe.

By pretty much any measure (popularity, prestige, history, competitiveness — you name it) the Presidents Cup pales in comparison to the Ryder Cup. But the Presidents is the one Canadians are allowed to compete in, and this edition is infused with quite a bit more maple flavour than usual.

With one of the country's oldest clubs playing host, three Canadians (the most ever at a single Presidents Cup) will play for the International team. And, for the first time, that team is captained by a Canadian — Mike Weir, whose 2003 Masters victory remains the greatest moment in Canadian golf history (sorry, Nick Taylor). 

Here's what else to know:

The format is sort of a super-sized Ryder Cup.

Whereas the Ryder Cup takes place over three days, the Presidents goes for four. There's an extra day of pairs matches before the closing singles contests on Sunday. 

In Thursday's "four-ball" matches, both guys in each pairing play their own ball, and the team uses the better score on each hole. In Friday's "foursomes," also known as alternate