Within an hour of leading Europe to a thrilling, 141/2 to 131/2 victory in the Ryder Cup at Valderrama yesterday, Seve Ballesteros was setting his sights on Ireland - in 2005. Before then, however, he has ambitions to return to the biennial showpiece as a player at Brookline, Boston, in 1999. "Being captain was a wonderful experience and I would certainly like to do it again when the Ryder Cup goes to Ireland," he said. "But I do not intend to be captain in 1999. I would like to recover my game before then and go to Boston as a player."
In the meantime, Ballesteros will have time to savour the one thing in golf that pleases him most - beating Americans. Through some brave and astute pairings, he guided his players to a 101/2 to 51/2 lead entering the closing 12 singles, only to discover that it might not be enough.
With the exception of Tiger Woods, who remained remarkably subdued, the leading Americans found their putting touch with a vengeance, winning seven of the singles matches. Three of these were by wide margins, including a record-equalling 8 and 7 win for Fred Couples in the top match against Ian Woosnam.
Lee Westwood, one of five, splendid rookies in this European side, put on a one-man show of revelry as he jumped with delight inside the clubhouse railings. Then by way of proving to grand prix drivers that champagne has practical uses, Woosnam did much to ease crushed pride, as he downed a proffered bottle with obvious gusto.
Ireland's Darren Clarke, whose only other match was a fourball win with Colin Montgomerie on Saturday morning, lost by 2 and 1 to the polished Phil Mickelson. As it happened, the American left-hander chipped into the hole for winning eagles at both the long fourth and 11th, which made it an achievement for Clarke to extend the match to the 17th.
Amid extraordinary tension for players and spectators alike, Ballesteros swept around the course in his chariot, attempting to calm frayed nerves. And he smiled afterwards when recalling the way Bjorn had screamed "I'm relaxed; I'm relaxed," as his captain approached him.
While the US juggernaut rolled on remorselessly, there was renewed hope for European hearts in the performances of Per-Ulrik Johansson, Costantino Rocca and Bjorn at two, three and four in the singles order. The Swede set up a fine, 3 and 2 win over Davis Love by taking the 13th, 14th and 15th in par, birdie, par.
But Rocca's win was exceptional, given that it happened to be against US Masters champion Woods who, far from dominating the event, as anticipated, emerged with a modest one and a half points. After a pushed drive at this right to left dog-leg, Rocca was blocked behind trees. From there, however, he astonished even his accomplished rival by cutting a low, one-iron recovery which eventually came to rest seven feet from the pin.
"My feeling was that he should have hit a sand wedge," said Woods. "But what he pulled off was unbelievable. A real gutsy play."
Courage was also very much in evidence in the performance of Bjorn, who came from three down after five, to force a halved match with British Open champion Justin Leonard. Then came a win on the 17th by Bernhard Langer to give Europe their 14th point, so ensuring that the trophy was retained.
Their quest for the additional half point to secure overall victory, however, began to present problems. Lee Janzen, the 1993 US Open champion, staged a brilliant, par-birdie-birdie recovery from two down with three to play against Jose-Maria Olazabal, to win on the 18th.
Elsewhere, Faldo was struggling against Jim Furyk after the American made a winning birdie at the eighth. Which meant that it eventually fell to Montgomerie to assert his status as Europe's number one player.
So, with rain teeming down, 30,000 spectators converged onto Europe's most exclusive golfing terrain to follow Mongomerie and Hoch up towards the 18th green. And when the best the American could hope for was a par from eight feet, the Scot generously conceded him the halved match.
There could hardly have been a more appropriate finale to a remarkable day.
