MONTY'S VICTORY: Thrilling fourth-day finale for Ryder Cup

Northern Irish golfer Graeme McDowell secured the vital points which saw Europe win the cup at the Celtic Manor course in Wales by a 142 points to 132 winning margin – the slimmest for either side since 1999.

Montgomerie, who won the Ryder Cup five times as a player, praised his team.

"I didn't hit a shot, yet it is a proud, proud moment for me personally. It's an amazing feeling to have won," he said.

"They all played to a man magnificently, they all gave 110 per cent and that's all you can ask."

McDowell revealed he had to battle the worst nerves of his career as he sank a crucial 20ft putt on the 16th green. The United States team had staged a stirring comeback on an unprecedented fourth day of the competition which was hit by two delays due to heavy rain.

Some 35,000 fans were at the course near Newport to see the conclusion of the tournament which was on a knife-edge with only McDowell and his opponent Hunter Mahan left to complete their singles match.

The win on the penultimate hole sparked jubilant scenes as fans mobbed the victorious European players.

McDowell said: "This is crazy. I was trying to do it for 11 team-mates, for all the fans, for the caddies, for Europe and for Monty – and we were all trying to win it for Seve (Ballesteros) too.

"It's so much pressure and this is a special feeling – there's nothing quite like it. This is the greatest golf event on the planet."

European leaders were quick to praise the efforts of the continent's golfers.

Prime Minister David Cameron was amongst those paying tribute. He said: "After a stormy weekend, we will long remember the drama of the first ever Ryder Cup Monday played in the Welsh sunshine."

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said that the team, the only sporting squad to fly the EU flag, had "made the whole of Europe proud".