"We did it for Seve!"

Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald celebrate Europe’s dramatic victory at Medinah. Picture: Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie“We did it for Seve!”

That Rory McIlroy’s ecstatic reaction after Europe retained the Ryder Cup with an historic final day comeback.

Jose Maria Olazabal’s men came back from 10-6 down to beat the US 13 1/2 to 14 1/2 and take the gold chalice back to Europe.

Wearing navy blue and white on the final day as a tribute the late Seve Ballesteros, McIlroy said: “We’ve done it for Seve.

Jose has been such an inspiration in the team room and it is so great that we got this win.

“It feels unbelievable. We knew it was possible. They did it to us in 1999 and it was our turn today.

“We got off to a great start. Momentum we got from from last night carried into today.”

Martin Kaymer ensured that Europe could not lose when he holed a six footer for par on the 18th green to secure a knee trembling one up win over Steve Stricker.

Paul McGinley said: “I always believed it was possible. They had to control five points and that’s nearly 50 percent of what was out there today.

“It was an unbelievable performance.”

Graeme McDowell said: “I thought for a second there yesterday the US were going to drive off in the sunset on us.

“Martin been quietly confident in the team room this week, even though he has not been playing his best and he has not been winning points, he’s just had that quiet confidence, so no better man for the job right now.

“I’m disappointed with my own performance today but it has been a fabulous team effort.”

Tiger Woods, one up playing the last, could have ensured that US halved the match 14-14.

But the three-putted for bogey and conceded a three-foot par putt to Francesco Molinari to give Europe the half they needed to win the 39th Ryder Cup outright.