Ryder Cup in another stratosphere says US Open champion McDowell

The Ulsterman won the US Open this year, thrusting himself from the fringes of the game's elite into its very heart.

But having felt the despair of defeat on his Ryder Cup debut at Valhalla two years ago, he has now experienced the sheer thrill of winning golf's defining team game for an entire continent.

The perception is that American players lack the passion, desire and spirit shown by their European counterparts and that given a choice between a major or a Ryder Cup win, the answer would be individual accolades every time.

That belief was dismissed at Valhalla two years ago when an impassioned America ended Europe's era of dominance, and their rousing fightback yesterday showed how much victory does mean to them.

Yet, the passion of the European team was embodied by selfless McDowell last night when summing up his emotions as a tense, prolonged and dramatic Ryder Cup eventually reached its thrilling denouement.

"I can't compare this to Pebble Beach. This is another stratosphere," said McDowell, in reference to his win at the famous Californian links.

"To be able to do it with these 11 world-class players is an amazing feeling.

"To be able to do it for Colin (Montgomerie), who has been a great captain this week, was amazing.

"I was out there trying to win it for me, my 11 team-mates, for Colin, for Europe, for all those fans out there.

"It was a different level completely to Pebble Beach. This is why this golf tournament is extremely special and will continue to be one of the greatest, probably the greatest golf event on the planet.

"Without my 11 team-mates I wouldn't have been able to do what I did."

McDowell hinted the job of going out 12th in a position that, as proved, is the final opportunity for the biggest tournament in team golf to be won or lost was not his choice.

But as a major champion he has proven he is nerveless in the most high-pressured of situations, and Montgomerie revealed that he was the clear choice of the captain and his lieutenants.

Even so, with Europe having gained a handsome advantage with their stunning performance in a third session that spanned two days, McDowell was hoping his match would not come into play.

"We said we weren't going to check leaderboards; the guys playing down the order weren't going to focus on what was going on out there," he said.

"I looked up at the scoreboard on the 10th green and realised things were really, really tight and that chances were the last matches were going to come into play.

"At that point I got extremely nervous. I hoped that I wouldn't be needed.

"I was really nervous over every shot. I had not been happy with my game all week.

"I really felt like I've been struggling with my swing a little bit and I really had to grind it out.

"But it was great to have that opportunity. Sixteen was the greatest second shot and greatest putt I've ever hit in my career."

Conversely, his opponent Hunter Mahan could not hold back the tears as the reality of a duffed chip that will haunt him for the rest of his career hit home.

His team-mates leapt to his defence, most notably Stewart Cink whose actions on the course were matched by his words of comfort and support. The 2009 Open champion cited the entire team as accountable for the narrowest of defeats. Twenty-seven points were decided before McDowell and Mahan shot to prominence.

America were by no means outplayed. They won three of the four sessions but had no answer to the blue tide that swamped them on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

They putted well and have unearthed talented rookies in Jeff Overton and Rickie Fowler.

Even Tiger Woods emerged with a part of his reputation restored after winning three points from four, thanks mainly to a partnership with Steve Stricker that appears to have finally answered America's greatest Ryder Cup conundrum.

Phil Mickelson remains a headache for US captains, but as he showed in destroying Peter Hanson, he is never one to write off.

All 24 players involved this week contributed at least a half point, with yesterday's tense finale a fitting conclusion to what had been a dramatic match.

The rain over the Welsh valleys on Friday and Sunday forced the match into an unprecedented fourth day, and even yesterday, before an afternoon of clear blue skies and the perfect weather the organisers had prayed for, a low lying mist in the Usk Valley threatened more frustration.

But that European spirit shone through, inspiring the crowds who ploughed through the mudbath enthusiastically, and empowering Monty's men to victory.