Monty reflects on his crowning achievement

Montgomerie was in no particular rush to leave the Celtic Manor Resort, scene of his greatest golfing triumph.

Neither was he anxious to bid farewell to those players who made it possible, or the throng of well-wishers lining up to shake his hand before, during and after breakfast.

But that day-long journey from Newport to Perth in the company of his wife Gaynor offered a grateful chance for reflection.

"We will turn off the radio, turn off the phones and just talk about it," he said. "That's my time, six hours' drive home to Perth just to calm down, really.

"When I get home I will be a lot better and able to put the whole thing into some sort of perspective."

Monty left the players and caddies to it, heading to bed just after midnight as the party continued in Celtic Manor's appropriately-named Merlins Bar.

Over the previous four days, magic had been weaved at various times by all the European players, Montgomerie's vice-captains and no-one more so than the 47-year-old Scot, who performed one of sport's most unforgiving jobs magnificently.

But on Tuesday morning, with his Ryder Cup business done and dusted, it was time to take stock.

"I realised as the week progressed what a responsibility it was," he added. "I had set myself up here for a very big fall.

"I had accepted the Ryder Cup captaincy after a reasonable playing record, and all I would have been remembered for really would be as a losing Ryder Cup captain, as opposed to having the record I had.

"It would have gone by the wayside and it would have all been about a losing captain. That's the way it goes, and I feel sorry for Corey (Pavin) if he is criticised in any way.

"He doesn't deserve to be criticised. His American team played for him with as much passion and heart that mine played for me."

Celtic Manor 2010 was the Ryder Cup that had everything with its spellbinding Monday afternoon finish, huge crowds, spectacular golf, long rain delays and ultimately a European victory by the narrowest of margins.

Not surprisingly, Montgomerie can recount every dramatic moment of America's fightback after they trailed in eight singles matches at one point yesterday, but above all US Open champion Graeme McDowell's heroic exploits on the 16th and 17th which saw Europe home.

"I was realising through the day, 'My God this might not work out as it was supposed to,"' Montgomerie said. "But when Graeme's putt went in at 16, I walked to 17 at least breathing some relief.

"His drive on 16 split the fairway, his iron shot had to be 10 feet left of the hole because that green slopes left to right, which it was, and then came his putt. It was the perfect three.

"To birdie that hole, one of the toughest holes we play, under those circumstances, was a good effort. He was put number 12 in the singles for a reason.

"We had a good think about the order. That order of singles has been criticised, and rightly so, in the past, but on this occasion you couldn't say we got that wrong.

"It was the 'Just in case scenario' to have (Padraig) Harrington and McDowell there. Harrington came up against Zach Johnson, who literally holed everything.

"Tiger Woods was seven under for seven holes so you have to shake the guy's hand and say 'Well played.' Phil Mickelson was way under (par), Jeff Overton was the surprise package of the Ryder Cup, he was brilliant from the word go.

"Ross Fisher was two up, he lost 3&2; (Edoardo) Molinari was three up and then it got back to all square; his brother Francesco was two up early on and lost heavily. It just all changed the wrong way.

"It was left to Graeme, but he was put there for a reason and I am glad we did it. He's the Wales Open winner on this course, he's the current US Open champion, he's got guts and he showed us why he was there."

America famously fought back from 10-6 adrift to win the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline, and there were times in the Usk Valley yesterday afternoon when a similar recovery looked likely after Europe had started the singles 9-1/2 - 6-1/2 ahead.

"They did brilliantly well, the Americans," acknowledged

Montgomerie. "But the hurdle was just too high to ascend. Being three points behind away from home before the singles and winning has never been done.

"I tried to dismiss Brookline out of one's thoughts in the team room. We weren't playing in Boston, we were playing at home and that's massive.

"The crowds were brilliant, you can't knock them in any way. On a Monday we were thinking there might not be anyone there. Wrong. I don't how many sick notes were given in, but I don't think much business was done in Wales yesterday.

"We needed that support and it just tipped us over the edge. I am just glad a win is in the bag."