RYDER CUP: John O'Sullivan describes how Darren Clarke answered Sam Torrance's call to his big guns by refusing to allow David Duval to take the advantage

"We played as a team, we dined as a team, we talked as a team and we won as a team." Not quite veni, vidi, vici in terms of eloquence, but Darren Clarke perfectly captured the esprit de corps that was the essence of Europe's stunning victory at the Belfry.

He got to the core of why a team with alleged weaker players, several struggling for form, vanquished an American team that was the strongest of favourites.

It wasn't a fluke, Europe weren't lucky; they simply outplayed the Americans. The European golfers seemed to have a Teflon coating, impervious to the white heat of battle and capable of delivering in a suffocating environment of expectation.

Clarke attributed this resolve to preparation, planning and to a bunch of guys who enjoyed each others company.

It was about the collective rather than the individual, where rookies were valued as much as those with loftier rankings. They repaid that faith in spades.

"The team spirit this week has been the best that I have experienced in this my third Ryder Cup. Everyone was involved, the preparation was great and to Sam (Torrance), 'thank you very much'; it's been an unbelievable week."

Torrance concocted a very simple game plan when it came to yesterday's singles - play your best players at the top of the order and hope they provide the momentum to galvanise the team.

Clarke was entrusted with a pivotal role, to take out David Duval.

Clarke wasn't happy with the way he finished his final three holes in the Friday twilight, Paul McGinley rescuing half a point, demonstrating the character and resilience that would make him the ultimate hero yesterday.

There was also the nagging statistic that Clarke had yet to win a singles match in the Ryder Cup, beating on the previous two occasions by Hal Sutton and Phil Mickelson. This draw wasn't any kinder.

The Dungannon man made light of the historical baggage, setting the tone for his contest with Duval on the first green when he hit a pitching wedge to eight feet and holed the putt.

When his opponent three-putted the second, Clarke was two up and the confidence that infused from a brief glance at a leaderboard an appealing shade of blue was pivotal.

"Sam told us not to look at the boards, but I have to confess that I did. It was great to see the blue up there, it gives you a little bit of impetus."

This was not going to be a day when Clarke touched the dizzy heights at which he can operate. His clash with Duval was about toughing it out over the front nine.

The golf might not have been sparkling but it was oh so competitive. When Duval double bogeyed the ninth, he handed Clarke the initiative only to regain parity when the Irishman bogeyed the short 12th.

"A six-hole sprint and what a contest it proved over that closing stretch. Three birdies apiece, all coming at the same holes.

Tit for tat exchanges where the first one to blink loses. Clarke hit a lob wedge to 12 feet and holed for birdie on 13, fist pumping, eyes glaring.

Duval followed him in from slightly closer. The 15th was shared in birdies and then came the 17th and what could have been Clarke's Waterloo.

He drove right, into the trees, taking out the option of going for the green in two. Standing over an eight iron he knew Duval should make birdie. Clarke came up 20 feet short but holed surely one of the great putts of his career.

Duval recalled: "On 17, I hit a nice drive. It's a tough hole to get it on to the fairway. I then hit it in the greenside bunker.

"He (Darren) hit a nice shot up to about 18 feet and he made it. I thought he would and so I was ready to put for a half. And that one went right in the middle."

On the 18th, both players missed the green, Clarke right, his opponent in the bunker left. Duval takes up the tale.

"On the 18th, I should have choked down on the club because the ball was a little bit above my feet. I hit if fat because of that. I had a bad lie in the bunker but managed to hit a good shot.

"Darren hit a good shot too (chipping down to 18 inches). I had no intention of him putting regardless of whether I made mine or not."

Clarke tried to articulate his feelings in the immediate aftermath. "My game with David was nip and tuck. Looking around and seeing everyone else playing well makes it easier.

"Sitting there afterwards and watching Paul (McGinley) coming down the stretch, he holed a great 15-footer on 17. To get the half that he did to win the Ryder Cup on the 18th was fantastic.

"He did the same thing on Friday night. I fell asleep for the last three holes, but he held it together and I had every confidence in him coming down the stretch that he could do it again. It takes an awful lot to make the putt he did as every guy sitting along this table will testify.

"It was good and bad. Obviously, I'm a little bit disappointed that I only managed to get a half. I got off to a good start, got up a few holes and then let David back in. We played some decent golf on the back nine. A lot of decent putts were holed."

Finally, he paid tribute to the atmosphere that permeated all three days at the Belfry.

"It was awesome. It's just the best. You've got 40,000 people shouting your name, it doesn't get any better than that."

A big man with a big heart as yesterday proved.