There really are no words to describe the euphoria that swept the fairways of Celtic Manor this afternoon, as Colin Montgomerie’s embattled men reclaimed the Samuel Ryder Cup as their own. As the sun shone brightly over the picturesque Usk Valley, this lush pocket of south Wales saw a groundswell of European pride emerging from the sodden earth. The air was filled with raw emotion as complete strangers hugged and patted each other on the back. Tears streamed down the cheeks of grown men, who cheered with booming voices, and mothers clung to bewildered children who knew only that they had never before seen anything like this – and may never do so again.
In the end, as widely predicted, it all came down to Ulsterman Graeme McDowell on the 17th green, who witnessed American Hunter Mahan playing a duffed chip like a 28 handicapper to hand him- and the rest of the European Team - victory. The US Open Champion, from Portrush, Northern Ireland had remained the lynchpin of Europe’s troops, bringing up the rear with confidence and calm as the points were handed out between the teams troughout the day to reach an equilibrium of 13.5 each prior to McDowell’s match closing.
After sinking a magnificent putt on the 16th, McDowell knew the Ryder Cup was in his hands. “That was absolutely amazing. That was bananas. The putt on the 16th was stuff I have dreamed about all my life.”
There were some 35,000 fans lining the fairway as the 31 year-old took bold strides - in navy wool Canali trousers – towards one of the most tense moments of his career. “The U.S. Open felt like a back nine with my dad back at (Royal) Portrush compared to that,” he commented afterwards. “I was really nervous there. I was nervous, wow. It's a different feeling. It's just so much pressure." Though he didn’t have to hole his putt, he finished his match with a flourish, to the most almighty roar from the crowd. There was a stampede on to the green, as spectators overcome with passion surged to congratulate the boys in blue. And, while it wasn’t quite in keeping with the hallowed traditions of golf, this was an instinctive display of unadultered joy from fans who’d tolerated difficult conditions to see their heroes deliver.
It was a fitting culmination to the most thrilling of Ryder Cup tournaments: with rain delays and a scoreboard that swung more between red and blue than a marginal seat in an election. As the victorious team took to the stage for the Closing Ceremony, clad in grey check cashmere jackets and striped cotton shirts by Canali – accessorised in some cases with national flags - it was clear that the performance of Captain Colin Montgomerie’s men will go down in the annals of history. For those of us privileged enough to be here in person, it was wonderful to be swept along on the crest of this wave: a tsunami of sporting spectacle that will never be forgotten.