Monty hails McDowell

European Ryder Cup winning captain Colin Montgomerie has hailed Graeme McDowell's birdie putt on the 17th hole and admitted that moment will live with him for "many, many years".

Super Mac's superb performance in the singles helped the Europeans clinch victory at Celtic Manor yesterday with the final day going down the last match for the first time in 19 years, US Open champion McDowell saw Europe over the finish line finishing 3&1 over Hunter Mahan sealed a 14½-13½ success.

"There were some superb victories with Luke Donald's victory down the last hole and of course G-Mac's.

"To hold him as 12th man, if you like, towards the end was a good decision by us all.
Fantastic

"He was the Wales Open champion on this golf course, he is the current US Open champion and he was put there for a reason because he can handle himself in that situation and by God he did.

"That birdie on the 16th will live in my memory and live in all our memories for many, many years to come."

Europe win the Ryder Cup

Europe have today won the Ryder Cup beating USA 14½ to 13½, after much rain this weekend the Ryder Cup final day went into Monday with Europe leading 9½-6½ overnight. With both Lee Westwood and Rory McIlory losing groundb. The stage was set for Graeme McDowell to steal the show and win it for Europe. USA had struggled to find any consistency and were always chasing Europe clawing back 13½ each and the Ryder Cup came down to the final match thanks to some clutch putting by 21-year-old Rickie Fowler. But it was then left for McDowell to finish things off nicely.


Needing a full point to secure the win, US Open champion McDowell sent cheers reverberating around the course as he sunk a brilliantly-judged 15-foot putt for birdie at the 16th to move two-up with two to play. Victory was then confirmed when Mahan, following a poor chip, failed to sink a long putt for his par at the short 17th, conceding McDowell's putt to hand Europe to spark wild European celebrations.

FINAL SCORE: EUROPE 14½ – USA 13½
Match 1: Westwood v Stricker - US wins 2&1
Match 2: McIlroy v Cink - Halved
Match 3: Donald v Furyk - EUR wins 1 UP
Match 4: Kaymer v D Johnson - USA win 6&4
Match 5: Poulter v Kuchar - EUR wins 5&4
Match 6: Fisher v Overton - USA wins 3&2
Match 7: Jimenez v Watson - EUR wins 4&3
Match 8: F Molinari v Woods - USA wins 4&3
Match 9: E Molinari v Fowler - Halved
Match 10: Hanson v Mickelson - USA wins 4&2
Match 11: Harrington v Z Johnson - USA wins 3&2
Match 12: McDowell v Mahan EUR wins 2 up