CHICAGO, Illinois - Europe produced the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history to reel in the US and retain the trophy at Medinah Country Club yesterday.
Trailing by 10-6 going into the closing 12 singles, Jose Maria Olazabal's men thrillingly won the first five matches out and went on to make sure of victory when Martin Kaymer defeated Steve Striker 1 up in the penultimate match.
The Americans had started the 12 closing singles 10-6 ahead and needing just 4 1/2 points to win the cup for just the second time in the last decade, the other time being at Valhalla, Kentucky four years ago.
They got to that position by dominating the foursomes and fourballs play on Friday and Saturday, taking two sessions 3-1 and splitting the two others 2-2.
Jose Maria Olazabal's team were left with the mammoth task of winning eight out of the 12 singles to put the overall match score at 14-14, thus ensuring Europe retained the cup as holders.
No European side had ever managed to comeback from 6-10 down in the Ryder Cup and no US team had ever lost more than a two-point advantage on the final day since the competition began in 1927.