Golf:Europe produced a miracle at Medinah. Trailing by four heading into the final day's singles of the Ryder Cup and needing to win eight of the 12 to retain their crown, Jose Maria Olazabal's team did just that, and some.

Martin Kaymer was the man to deliver the decisive point this time round, in the penultimate match up with Steve Stricker, but an unlikely win at the last for Francesco Molinari meant the Italian claimed a half from Tiger Woods and Europe won the match outright on a score 14.5 to 13.5.

The seeds were sown in the early matches, where Europe took the first five points available to move ahead before the homeside had even registered its first score of the day.

Luke Donald accounted for Bubba Watson 2&1, Ian Poulter finished 2up on Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy beat Keegan Bradley 2&1, Phil Mickelson fell to Justin Rose by one hole and Paul Lawrie hammered Fed-EX Cup winner Brandt Snedeker 5&3.

Still there was work to do and men still on the course. The Johnsons, Dustin and Zach, hit back against Nicolas Colsaerts and Graeme McDowell respectively.

However, after Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood took further points for European, only one more was needed to retain the trophy, though that didn't come easy.

Having won the 17th to go one up, Kaymer just needed to halve the last with Stricker but even when the German had two putts it was tense. The American went long with his second to back of the green and overhit the putt, but Kaymer pushed his well past the hole as well.

Stricker holed on the way back and Kaymer had a nervy six-footer. With Molinari trailing Woods at the time and waiting on the last fairway, it had to go down. And it did.

Molinari added the outright win when Woods pushed a four-footer and graciously conceded the Italian's from a similar distance to complete a remarkable turnaround.

More to follow from Philip Reidin Medinah