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Hazeltine - Shaking off three consecutive defeats, the United States recaptured the Ryder Cup on Sunday, ripping Europe 17-11 for their most decisive triumph since 1981 in the biennial team golf showdown.
Cup newcomer Ryan Moore, selected with a captain's pick only a week earlier, won the last three holes to defeat England's Lee Westwood 1-up and secure the trophy by giving the Americans an unbeatable edge in a tension-packed test at Hazeltine.
"To score the clinching point in the Ryder Cup is just incredible," Moore said. "I can't digest what just happened. I was trying my hardest not to let my team down."
Moore was 2-down before an eagle at 16, birdie at 17 and conceded par at 18, admitting, "I just wanted to hit a couple of good shots coming in."
Earlier singles triumphs by Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Brandt Snedeker and rookie Brooks Koepka plus a vital half point from Phil Mickelson had put the US team on the brink.
"We've got a memory and life experience that we will cherish forever," said Mickelson, who made 10 birdies in halving with Spain's Sergio Garcia.
US captain Davis Love, the 2012 captain whose team suffered its greatest collapse in Ryder Cup history to fall, and the task force that spent two years revamping the US Cup program saw their effort rewarded.
"I'm just proud of these guys," Love said. "They had pressure on them for the last two years. I'm proud of every one of them. Unbelievable golf."
The "Miracle at Medinah" was still on the minds of many as the US began putting the painful loss deeper into the past.
"We did this for our captain. He had a tough go four years ago," said US star Jordan Spieth.
The Americans had dropped six of the past seven and eight of the past 10 in the rivalry.
"We've been criticised for eight or 10 years for not coming together," Love said. "I'm so proud of them. We were kicked around for so long. You realize you have to do something."
But they were already talking about defending the trophy in France in 2018.
"Hopefully there's a change in the Ryder Cup," Spieth said. "We're looking forward to going to Paris and trying to win one over there."
Europe captain Darren Clarke, whose players led early in eight of the 12 concluding singles matches, called the loss "incredibly disappointing."
"They put up a massive fight. Some of the shotmaking was out of this world. The Americans putted that little bit better and that made the difference."
Love's captain's picks went 7-6 while Clarke's went 5-7, Belgian Thomas Pieters a record 4-1 but Westwood and Martin Kaymer each 0-3 until Kaymer's singles win after the Cup was lost
Six Europe rookies were 7-9 overall while two US newcomers went 5-2.
Spectators were so insulting to European players the first two days at Hazeltine that the PGA of America issued a statement Sunday reminding of ejections for obscene remarks.
"It's a big Ryder Cup family," Reed said. "We want everyone to play well. We want to beat each other at our best."
The US team led 9 1/2 - 6 1/2 entering the singles matches and Reed edged Rory McIlroy 1-up in the opener.
All square at the eighth hole, McIlroy sank a 50-foot birdie putt, cupped his hand to his ear hollering "I can't hear you." Reed answered with a 25-foot birdie to halve the hole, wagged a finger at McIlroy and they shared fist bumps, laughs and pats on the back.
"To play as well as we did, it was fun to be a part of," Reed said.
Reed took his first lead with a 10-foot par putt at the 12th and went 2-up with his first birdie in eight holes at the par-5 16th. Reed chipped across the par-3 17th green and lost the hole with a bogey, but sank a five-foot birdie putt on 18 to win.
British Open champion Henrik Stenson downed Spieth 3 and 2. Stenson won on 16 when Spieth stepped in a water hazard and his ball moved, prompting him to surrender the hole and the match.
Pieters beat J.B. Holmes 3 and 2, becoming the first Europe rookie to take four points and the first rookie to play five matches since American Larry Nelson was 5-0 in 1979.
"I thought I did pretty well," Pieters said.
Fowler birdied to win the 16th and parred the last two holes for a 1-up win over Olympic champion Justin Rose of England and Mickelson made 10 birdies in nudging the Americans closer by halving with Sergio Garcia.
Results on Sunday from the 41st Ryder Cup between Europe and the United States at Hazeltine:
United States 17 Europe 11
Sunday singles results
Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Jordan Spieth (USA) 3 and 2
Patrick Reed (USA) bt Rory McIlroy (NIR) 1-up
Thomas Pieters (BEL) bt J.B. Holmes (USA) 3 and 2
Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) bt Jimmy Walker (USA) 3 and 2
Rickie Fowler (USA) bt Justin Rose (ENG) 1-up
Brooks Koepka (USA) bt Danny Willett (ENG) 5 and 4
Phil Mickelson (USA) and Sergio Garcia (ESP) halved
Brandt Snedeker (USA) bt Andy Sullivan (ENG) 3 and 1
Ryan Moore (USA) bt Lee Westwood (ENG) 1-up
Zach Johnson (USA) bt Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) 4 and 3
Dustin Johnson (USA) bt Chris Wood (ENG) 1-up
Martin Kaymer (GER) bt Matt Kuchar (USA) 1-up
Saturday afternoon four-ball results
Rory McIlroy (NIR)/Thomas Pieters (BEL) bt Brooks Koepka/Dustin Johnson (USA) 3 and 1
Phil Mickelson/Matt Kuchar (USA) bt Martin Kaymer (GER)/Sergio Garcia (ESP) 2 and 1
J.B. Holmes/Ryan Moore (USA) bt Danny Willett (ENG)/Lee Westwood (ENG) 1-up
Patrick Reed/Jordan Spieth (USA) bt Justin Rose (ENG)/Henrik Stenson (SWE) 2 and 1
Saturday morning foursomes results
Rory McIlroy (NIR)/Thomas Pieters (BEL) bt Rickie Fowler/Phil Mickelson (USA) 4 and 2
Brandt Snedeker/Brooks Koepka (USA) bt Henrik Stenson (SWE)/Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) 3 and 2
Justin Rose (ENG)/Chris Wood (ENG) bt Jimmy Walker/Zach Johnson (USA) 1-up
Sergio Garcia (ESP)/Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) halved with Patrick Reed/Jordan Spieth (USA)
Friday afternoon four-ball results
Justin Rose (ENG)/Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed (USA) 5 and 4
Brandt Snedeker/Brooks Koepka (USA) bt Martin Kaymer (GER)/Danny Willett (ENG) 5 and 4
Rafa Cabrera Bello/Sergio Garcia (ESP) bt J.B. Holmes/Ryan Moore (USA) 3 and 2
Rory McIlroy (NIR)/Thomas Pieters (BEL) bt Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar (USA) 3 and 2
Friday morning foursomes results
Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed (USA) bt Justin Rose (ENG)/Henrik Stenson (SWE) 3 and 2
Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar (USA) bt Thomas Pieters (BEL)/Lee Westwood (ENG) 5 and 4
Jimmy Walker/Zach Johnson (USA) bt Sergio Garcia (ESP)/Martin Kaymer (GER) 4 and 2
Phil Mickelson/Rickie Fowler (USA) bt Rory McIlroy (NIR)/Andy Sullivan (ENG) 1 up
Results of the Ryder Cup since the biennial golf rivalry was expanded to United States versus Europe from Britain-Ireland in 1979:
2016: United States 17 Europe 11
2014: Europe 16 1/2 United States 11 1/2
2012: Europe 14 1/2 United States 13 1/2
2010: Europe 14 1/2 United States 13 1/2
2008: United States 16 1/2 Europe 11 1/2
2006: Europe 18 1/2 United States 9 1/2
2004: Europe 18 1/2 United States 9 1/2
2002: Europe 15 1/2 United States 12 1/2
1999: United States 14 1/2 Europe 13 1/2
1997: Europe 14 1/2 United States 13 1/2
1995: Europe 14 1/2 United States 13 1/2
1993: United States 15 Europe 13
1991: United States 14 1/2 Europe 13 1/2
1989: Europe 14 United States 14
1987: Europe 15 United States 13
1985: Europe 16 1/2 United States 11 1/2
1983: United States 14 1/2 Europe 13 1/2
1981: United States 18 1/2 Europe 9 1/2
1979: United States 17 Europe 11
