Europe retained the Ryder Cup in emphatic style on Sunday as they beat the United States by a record-equalling 18-1/2 points to 9-1/2 at the K Club to claim the trophy for a third successive time.
Swedish rookie Henrik Stenson had the honour of clinching the point that guaranteed victory before the Europeans completed a memorable week with their best-ever performance in the last-day singles, winning eight of the 12 matches and halving one.
Shortly before Stenson’s moment in the spotlight, British duo David Howell and Luke Donald had posted quick-fire wins to lift the hosts to an unassailable tally of 14 points.
”Very emotional,” European captain Ian Woosnam told reporters after his team matched the record winning margin achieved over the US at Oakland Hills two years ago to make it three wins in a row for the first time.
”I just can’t say enough about my team. They have played fantastic.”
US captain Tom Lehman added: ”I need to tip my hat completely to the European team. They played incredibly well, they were inspired.
”I just don’t know if there has ever been a European team that has played better.”
After winning all four pairs sessions, Europe went into the last-day singles 10-6 ahead, needing only four more points to deny the Americans a first Cup success since 1999.
Colin Montgomerie extended his remarkable unbeaten record in singles to eight — six wins and two halves — by beating David Toms one up in the first match before fellow Briton Paul Casey defeated world number three Jim Furyk 2 & 1.
Although Stewart Cink and Tiger Woods notched early points for the Americans, the scoreboard was predominantly blue.
Howell, who chipped in for a birdie-three at the 11th before sinking 25-footers on 12 and 13, outclassed US rookie Brett Wetterich 5 & 4 minutes before Donald produced a late surge to beat Chad Campbell 2 & 1.
That left Stenson, who had trailed by one after five holes, to produce a 4 & 3 comeback win over Vaughn Taylor and spark widespread celebrations.
The cheering heightened, along with a few tears, when Darren Clarke triumphed 3 & 2 against Zach Johnson, capping a week of high emotion following the death of his wife Heather from cancer last month.
”This is just as good as it gets for the Europeans, and for the Irish it’s just fantastic,” said a tearful Clarke.
”The team have been unbelievable, as have the American team and their wives.
”It’s been a difficult week but, from the moment I decided to make myself available, I wanted to make sure I was prepared.”
Montgomerie drew first blood for the holders to join Bernhard Langer in second place with 24 points in the all-time European Cup standings, behind only Nick Faldo (25).
The talismanic Scot birdied the third and fourth, was pegged back at the fifth but regained his two-shot cushion with a birdie two at the 14th where he struck a three-iron to five feet.
Toms cut the deficit by sinking an 18-foot birdie putt at the 17th before the Scot got up and down from a bunker to claim his sixth singles triumph in eight Cup matches. The other two were halved.
”I had it in the bag and I’m getting used to these putts on the last green,” Montgomerie said with a smile.
Moments earlier, an inspired Cink put paid to Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who had won his four previous matches this week.
With his approach play in sparkling order, Cink birdied the first, second, fourth and fifth to take early charge en route to a 4 & 3 success.
Woods finished the week as the leading US points scorer with a 3 & 2 victory over Swede Robert Karlsson but there was to be only one more American win as Scott Verplank, boosted by a hole in one, beat Padraig Harrington 4 & 3 in the last match out.
Casey, boosted by four early birdies in match two, romped home 3 & 2 against world number two Jim Furyk, who had not lost in his previous four singles encounters.
Winner of last week’s World Match Play Championship, Casey sank a 10-footer at the first and a 15-footer at the third before tightening his grip on the match with further birdies at the fifth and seventh. Jose Maria Olazabal made it three wins out of three over the weekend when he beat Phil Mickelson as the world number three’s woeful Ryder Cup record continued.
Wildcard Lee Westwood, five up with eight holes to play, survived a late surge by Chris DiMarco before completing a two-hole victory to end the event unbeaten and join Garcia as joint top-scorer on four points.
His point also ensured Europe matched their record win from Oakland Hills two years ago. – Reuters