'If Shane didn't make that putt on 18, I think most probably, Team USA would have won the Ryder Cup'

""As simple as that. We knew it was not going to be easy, especially playing in New York. But I think the team performed really, really well, especially the first two days. Foursomes, fourballs, we managed to win all four sessions, and that gave us a large cushion. And to be totally honest, I didn't think it was going to be that close, or at least it shouldn't have been all that close. But well, all credit to the US team. It's amazing how they fought; they almost turned things around. If Shane didn't make that putt on 18, I think most probably, Team USA would have won the Ryder Cup.""

""You know, the two and a half hours before that moment, I have to say that they were maybe the toughest I've ever experienced in my golfing career, especially because we thought with that cushion, we should have closed the deal well before that,""

""And at that moment, I think it was crucial. That's why it all came out - all the emotions, all the tension, all the stress.""

José María Olazábal described the early stages of Sunday's singles session as possibly the toughest moments of his golfing career. Europe won all foursomes and fourballs sessions, building a large cushion that suggested the contest should not have been so close. The U.S. team staged a fierce fightback that nearly overturned the advantage. Shane Lowry rolled in a six-foot birdie putt at the 18th to halve his match with Russell Henley and ensure Europe retained the trophy. Olazábal embraced Lowry and said the two and a half hours before the putt were filled with emotion, tension and stress.

Read at Irish Independent