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By John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor

MONTREAL, Canada -- One of the indications that The Presidents Cup is in its infancy is the fact that the format of the competition has changed three times in the last 12 years.

U.S. teammates Steve Stricker (l) and Scott Verplank were pleased to see their team take off Saturday morning. (Lecka/WireImage)

Two sessions of Foursomes and two sessions of Four-Balls have always been played prior to the Singles on Sunday. For the first three Presidents Cups, though, the matches lasted three days. The first two days featured five matches of Foursomes and five of Four-Ball competition. Two players sat out each session, much like in the Ryder Cup.

In 2000, the format was altered. The matches were extended to four days with one session of five matches on the opening day. Two sessions of six matches each were held on Friday. There were six Four-Ball matches on Saturday and, of course, the 12 Singles matches on Sunday.

The current structure was adopted in 2005. There are six matches on Thursday and Friday with two sessions on Saturday of five matches each. This current structure makes far more sense. The financial considerations are obvious, a fourth day of coverage and ticket sales makes everyone happy. And not having to play five matches in three days is far easier on the participants -- not to mention, their caddies.

Whether it is Friday or Saturday since the switch to the four-day format, the day with two sessions has been pivotal. Only once has a team won the morning matches and yielded the afternoon matches in a four-day series. This happened in 2000 on Friday when the International Team won four points in the morning session and the U.S. won four in the afternoon. In 1994, the inaugural year of The Presidents Cup, the International Team took the Four-Ball in the morning and the U.S. won the Foursomes in the afternoon, but that was when the matches were three days.

Whether it is The Presidents Cup, the Ryder Cup or any other team competition, the matches hinge on momentum. After Friday's matches, the International Team spoke at length of how seeing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson dispatched early by Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby inspired the rest of the team. It is probably a good thing for the Americans that they had a night to sleep on the 4 1/2 - 1 1/2 pounding on Friday that brought the International Team back into these matches.

We have seen one side gain an advantage and put pressure on the opponent far too often at the Ryder Cup. The Europeans have become experts at this over the past several years. Just look back a year ago to The K Club when the American team was thumped soundly by the lesser-known and seemingly less-talented Europeans.

We may learn quite a bit about the U.S. Team this afternoon. The Americans have shown a keen team spirit this week. They rallied around an unlikely hero in Woody Austin and took command of these matches with a resounding Foursomes victory on Saturday morning.

These matches could mark the re-emergence of American team golf and it could happen on Saturday. The United States has not had a lopsided victory since the 2000 Presidents Cup when it drubbed the Internationals 21 1/2 to 10 1/2.

The Americans now have taken a decided advantage in The Presidents Cup. The reasons for their improved team play certainly vary. But this team seems to be having more fun than any other team in recent years. Even after the Friday session was decided handily for the Internationals, the Americans were in good spirits. Their spirits should be soaring after Saturday's Foursomes.

Recent history isn't always on the Americans' side when it comes to team competitions, but today it is. Today, the United States has both history and momentum. Wouldn't it be something if that would last?