The biennial event, which begins in George, South Africa, on Thursday, features the 12 best players from the United States against a team made up of stars from the rest of the world, outside Europe.

And golf legend Nicklaus, who won a record 18 majors, insisted that the quality of the international team, skippered by South Africa's Gary Player, made them favourites for the matchplay tournament.

"The International team is drawn from a far wider section of the world than Europe which is of course where America's opponents for the Ryder Cup come from," said Nicklaus.

"The Ryder Cup has the tradition, but golf is increasingly becoming a global sport and the Internationals have the strength and the numbers.

"So the Presidents Cup is going to grow and grow. Even now it's big and in fact I believe the International team are favourites to beat the United States this week.

"Having said that, the Americans will be doing everything in their power to win this one. They don't want another defeat following their loss to Europe in last year's Ryder Cup."

While the Ryder Cup can boast a 75-year history, the Presidents Cup, created in 1994, is being staged this week for only the fifth time.

It offers the United States team a warm-up for next year's Ryder Cup, equivalent to Great Britain and Ireland playing Europe in the Seve Trophy.

But US star Jim Furyk, the US Open champion, said it should be judged on its own merits.

"Everyone tries to compare the Presidents Cup to the Ryder Cup, and it's maybe because the last two Presidents Cups were not that close," said Furyk.

"I think it has been unfairly judged. It should be its own event."

At the last eight Ryder Cups, neither team has won by more than three points.

But the International team trounced the US by 201Ž2-111Ž2 in Melbourne in 1998, while the Americans regained the trophy the last time it was played in 2000 with a 211Ž2-101Ž2 victory.

The first four matches have all been won by the home team with America holding a 3-1 lead, and Player agreed with Nicklaus' favourites tag.

"If I may say so, I really believe we have a better team than the European Ryder Cup at this moment," he said. "I think this is going to lend itself to a great match."

Nicklaus and Player will announce their pairings for Thursday's six opening foursome matches on Wednesday.

Friday features five fourballs and five foursomes, while Saturday consists of six fourballs and Sunday finishes with 12 singles matches.