President's Cup: Penpics USA team

RICKIE FOWLER

Age: 26

Presidents Cup: Debut

Majors: 0

World ranking: 5

Colourful player who finally converted his consistent game into big tournament wins in 2015 with victories at The Players Championship, The Deutsche Bank Championship and the Scottish Open in sharp contrast to 2014 when he became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2005 to finish in the top five in all four majors - but failed to win any.

BILL HAAS

Age: 33

Presidents Cup: 2011, 2013 (overall: won 3 lost 5 halved 2)

Majors: 0

World ranking: 29

Picked by his captain and father Jay Haas after finishing just outside the automatic qualifying places. Consistent player who won the Humana Challenge in 2015 and recorded six other top 10 finishes.

J.B. HOLMES

Age: 33

Presidents Cup: Debut

Majors: 0

World ranking: 18

Drafted in on Friday when Jim Furyk succumbed to a wrist injury. Winner of Houston Open this year but an unknown quantity in team match play, having only previously featured in two matches in the 2008 Ryder Cup team, winning one and losing one.

DUSTIN JOHNSON

Age: 31

Presidents Cup: 2011 (1-3-1)

Majors: 0

World ranking: 8

A six-month self-imposed break from the game seemed to have done the big-hitting Johnson a power of good as he won the 2015 WGC-Cadillac on just his fifth tournament back. Had an eagle putt to win the US Open, but took three to lose out to Jordan Spieth. In top form, registering three top-10 finishes in the recent FedEx Cup playoffs.

ZACH JOHNSON

Age: 39

Presidents Cup: 2007, 2009, 2013 (7-6-0)

Majors: 2

World ranking: 10

Won the British Open this year at St Andrews to record his second major, eight years after his Masters triumph, and prove that the game isn't all about the big hitters or the young guns. Fiercely patriotic competitor.

CHRIS KIRK

Age: 30

Presidents Cup: Debut

Majors: 0

World ranking: 27

No Presidents or Ryder Cup experience for a player who won at Colonial this year but has failed to register a top 20 in an indifferent season. Might be cheerleading his team-mates from the sidelines more than he plays.

MATT KUCHAR

Age: 37

Presidents Cup: 2011, 2013 (4-5-1)

Majors: 0

World ranking: 16

The veteran of two Presidents Cups and three Ryder Cups is renowned for keeping a calm head and a great sense of humour so won't be fazed by the likely vociferous Korean galleries. Superb record in fourballs (5-2-2) but by contrast has lost four of his five singles for the US in team match play events.

PHIL MICKELSON

Age: 45

Presidents Cup: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 (20-16-11)

Majors: 5

World ranking: 24

The undoubted leader of the USA team on the course, Mickelson is quite simply the most experienced match player around having taken part in all 10 previous editions of the Presidents Cup and the last 10 Ryder Cups. An overwhelming choice for a captain's pick despite finishing only 30th in the automatic standings, "Lefty" will be out to justify the faith in him after an indifferent season since being beaten to a fifth Green Jacket at Augusta by team-mate Spieth.

PATRICK REED

Age: 25

Presidents Cup: Debut

Majors: 0

World ranking: 19

Youngster Reed might be making his first Presidents Cup appearance but will not be overawed judging by his performance at last year's Ryder Cup when also on debut. Reed was one of the few positives as the USA were demolished by Europe, whipping up the galleries and winning three of his four matches -- more than a quarter of the USA's points on the week.

JORDAN SPIETH

Age: 22

Presidents Cup: 2013 (2-2-0)

Majors: 2

World ranking: 1

Spieth's stellar year could capped off in style if the best golfer on the planet can round off his season on the winning side. Masters and US Open champion, he missed out on a unique calendar slam by a whisker with fourth place at the British Open and second at the US PGA. Showed no signs of letting up when winning the Tour Championship in his last outing, regaining the number one ranking and boosting his season's prize money to an astonishing $22 million in the process.

JIMMY WALKER

Age: 36

Presidents Cup: Debut

Majors: 0

World ranking: 17

The epitome of a late bloomer, it took nine years and 188 starts on the PGA Tour for Jimmy Walker to post his first win in 2013. He hasn’t slowed down since, with four more victories as he continues to be one of the Tour’s dominant and most consistent players.

BUBBA WATSON

Age: 36

Presidents Cup: 2011 (3-2-0)

Majors: 2

World ranking: 4

The huge-hitting left-hander is one of the game's great entertainers. A must-watch this week as he capable of pulling off 'impossible' shots exemplified by holing from a bunker shot for eagle at the final hole to win the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai last November. No majors in 2015 to add to his two Masters titles, but in tip-top form with two victories and eight other top-10 finishes after the most consistent season of his career. Players on the driveable par-four 14th green should watch out if Bubba's on the tee - he'll go for it.

AFP