TV review - Golf: The Ryder Cup
In the end, the destination of the Ryder Cup came down to the equivalent of a penalty shoot out and the supreme irony was that it was a German that won it for us, writes Bill McCarthy.
Martin Kaymer's icy calm when sinking the winning putt of a gripping finale sparked scenes of jubilation for a win that should never have happened. Trailing 10-6 on the final day Europe produced what has been dubbed the Miracle of Medinah.
It was one of sport's most amazing comebacks, matched only by the Americans themselves in the infamous win at Brookline back in 1999.
Three days of high drama in Chicago was brilliantly condensed into one hour on BBC2 where the hushed tones from the Beeb's Mr Golf himself, Peter Allis, moved through the gears from resigned acceptance, to a glimmer of hope and finally the euphoria as nine of the 12 Europeans notched up the vital points to retain the trophy.
Golf was famously described by Mark Twain as a good walk spoiled, but the Ryder Cup is more than just golf and the sheer drama attracts people who are normally thoroughly turned off by the game.
The competition is so intense it can turn journeymen golfers into heroes and reduce giants of the game into quivering wrecks. One of the defining moments of the match was the sight of Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest golfer the world has ever seen, missing an easy short putt on the final hole. Shoulders slumped he looked a beaten man in a beaten team.
Golf can also produce the worst in sport. The home crowd's behaviour during the 'War on the Shore' at Kiawah Island in 1991 prompted American-based journalist and broadcaster Alistair Cook to pronounce the arrival of the golf hooligan.
This time the crowd were noisy and partisan and the European stars seemed like rabbits trapped in the headlights as the Americans, roared on by their supporters, showed laser-like accuracy to sink putt after putt in the first two days.
Towards the end of Saturday, it all looked over bar the shouting until Ian Poulter decided enough was enough.
Brilliant
Pumped up on adrenaline and a manic look in his eyes, he took the battle to the home crowd and with a series of brilliant shots hauled Europe back into contention – just – by the end of the second day.
Inspired again by Poulter on the final day, the Europeans roared back to produce an unstoppable momentum
Luke Donald and then Poulter, baiting the home crowds, sowed the first seeds of doubt inside the minds of the so-far all-conquering home team
The swagger of the previous two days disappeared and the putts that had arrowed into the holes starting slipping by as first the Europeans caught and gradually overhauled the home team.
The tedious chants of 'USA, USA', were replaced by groans of disappointment and finally gasps of disbelief.
The celebrations then started and captain Jose Maria Olazabal was buried under a scrum of joyous players.
Later the emotional Olazabal said he inspired the team to their triumph be evoking the spirit of Seve Ballesteros, the genius who never knew when he was beaten. Inspired by the magnificent Poulter the Europeans never knew when they were beaten.
The American were magnanimous in defeat and one of the great sporting sights was Phil Mickelson applauding his opponent's monster putt to take the game away from him. It shows that although the Americans like to win noisily, they can be gracious in defeat. The BBC captured it all brilliantly.