GOLF:It was a day of high drama in the Usk Valley and JOHN O'SULLIVANwas up bright and early to chart a memorable roller-coaster ride for Europe

THE VIP bus depot contains 12 coaches where once there were hundreds during the week and on the steep descent to the security point the course periodically disappears as a thick fog hovers in the Usk Valley. The legacy of the previous three days of the Ryder Cup can be seen in the large tranches of brown, gooey mud and the ribbons of water on the driving range. It’s cold beneath the largely cloudless blue sky. Security make one final sweep of the grandstand beside the first tee and then like a human jigsaw spectators begin to take their places over the next hour.

7.30am: The players begin to take their slots on the range, some chatting amiably, others preoccupied by their preparation. The grandstand is nearly full and the atmosphere is already boisterous. It doesn't take long for the soccer-style chanting to begin. Flags hang from the railing depicting national identities, a whistle-stop tour of Europe.

8.45am:The singing is more coordinated now, the grandstand full awaiting the arrival of the top match in the singles that will start in 20 minutes. European captain Colin Montgomerie appears, followed at intervals by his vice-captains, Darren Clarke, Jose Maria Olazabal, Paul McGinley, Sergio Garcia and Thomas Bjorn. Every arrival ratchets up the volume and it's difficult to escape the feeling that it's been choreographed to dial up the volume.

9.0am:Lee Westwood, playing in the top match against Steve Stricker, is on the putting green and after holing 11 putts in succession, decides it's time to go to the first tee. His arrival, via the elevated walkway, is greeted by a defining din and the chanting begins in earnest.

9.03am: Stricker and caddie climb onto the tee box and the same rigmarole that will prevail for all 12 matches begins: players shake hands with each other, caddies, starter Ivor Robson and the designated match referee, pose for a picture and then begin the process of trying to look nonchalant.

9.05am: Stricker makes a little history in striking the opening tee shot on the first occasion that the Ryder Cup singles has been played on a Monday. Westwood follows him down the fairway, a decent start to his first day as world number two.

9.13: Rory McIlroy is first to make it to the human amphitheatre shortly followed by Stewart Cink. The spectators are well warmed up vocally and a little bolder in their choices, chanting "He's got more hair than you, he's got more hair than you". Cink laughs and raises his cap to reveal his bald pate. Montgomerie and his American counterpart Corey Pavin are on hand with a final word as the players go roaming in the gloaming.

9.26am:Luke Donald makes his way to the tee to the now familiar howls of "Loooke" (as in Skywalker) and once again the crowd look for a little good-natured American baiting, their target this time Jim Furyk. Every practice swing from a player is greeted with a weeeeeeeeeeyhay. There's a bit of a delay now as the fog gets a little more pea-soup like so the spectators start singing, "where's my fairway gone, where's my fairway, gone?" It makes them laugh.

9.31: McIlroy rolls in a birdie putt at the first hole to put the first bit of blue on the leaderboard. There may not be 45,000 in Celtic Manor but there's enough to make plenty of noise. Back at the first tee American Dustin Johnson is greeted by "where's your major gone". It's no place for the thin skinned but he would provide the perfect riposte. A group of five US ladies waving flags begin their own routine which went something like "Firecracker, Firecracker, our boys have the muscles; our teachers have the brains, our girls have the sexy legs; let's go and win the game". Yeah, it didn't really work at the time either.

WESTWOOD’S bogey on three is greeted by groans. Stricker goes into the red in a good way. The brains trust at the first tee are beginning to struggle to maintain their originality and can only offer repeated shouts of Hubba Bubba Watson. His opponent Miguel Angel Jimenez catches sight of a boy in a wheelchair to the right of the tee box as he strides away and walks over with the greeting “see you later Charlie”, before patting him on the back.

The 13-year-old Charlie Gannon from Castlebar is a popular figure and not just with the European team, having chatted to 22 of the 24 players over the past few days in a variety of settings. He received several mementos, including balls from Phil Mickelson, McDowell and Cink and McIlroy’s glove. Standing beside Charlie was family friend, Niall Gannon.

A little over 18 months ago he contracted meningitis, the legacy of which has left him unable to play golf. At the time he was the number two-ranked golfer for his age-group in Connacht. It was his dream to see the Ryder Cup and through the tournament organisers and Wales rugby team manager Alan Phillips – he arranged for Charlie to stay at the Vale of Glamorgan resort with brother, Jake, and dad, George – he fulfilled that dream.

10.10:Europe's totem, Westwood is one up after five while Cink and McIlroy have swapped the first six holes, none in regulation figures. Johnson is dusting an out-of-sorts Martin Kaymer, whose early travails are largely of his own making.

10.20:The practice putting green is filling up. Olazabal hugs Graeme McDowell – it wouldn't be the only time – while Pavin has taken the 21-year-old Rickie Fowler to one side, putting an arm around his shoulder as he offers him some advice.

10.38:Sweden's Peter Hanson is left in splendid isolation on the putting green before his opponent Phil Mickelson arrives. They stand at opposite ends while the caddies briefly meet in the middle for a handshake and a few words. Bones McKay, Mickelson's caddie, walks over to a spectator and asks him if he wants the waterproof bottoms he's holding. The man looks wary but the caddie insists that they'll only be thrown out. Having handed them over McKay then laughs and asks for them back for a second so he can check there's nothing in the pockets. They're the borrowed Proquip rather than the maligned Sun Mountain American shellsuits.

11.20: Europe are up in six matches, the USA in four and it looks like being the start of an interesting day. Stricker pretends to throw Westwood's ball into the water after the Englishman lips out for eagle on the ninth but he'll soon derail the Englishman in more orthodox fashion.

11.56:Stricker goes one up, Cink holds the same advantage over McIlroy while Jeff Overton, having holed his second shot to the eighth on Saturday, almost does so again finishing two inches away from the cup. Europe are up in five but down in four. The course is a much quieter environment as the home supporters realise that a road to victory contains some nasty speed bumps. Hanson, celebrating his 33rd birthday, is four down to Mickelson. Pádraig Harrington recovers from a dreadful start only to run into three birdies in four holes from Zach Johnson.

THE LEADERBOARD has taken on a blue hue again as Furyk continues to struggle against Donald but less than 60 seconds later an eagle for Stricker at the driveable par-four 15th puts him two up. McIlroy conjures a brilliant up and down from the greenside trap at the same hole moments later to stop going two down.

12.40:Former European captain Bernard Gallacher involves himself in a dispute on the 11th with American Overton. Overton suggests to the match referee that his opponent, Ross Fisher, is not entitled to relief, saying that the area in which the Englishman's ball has come to rest does not constitute crowd damage. Gallacher offers a rebuke only to find himself exchanging words with Overton's father. It's hotting up nicely in every respect. Donald plays out of the water on 15, "one shoe off and one shoe on" as the nursery rhyme goes.

12.47:Johnson registers the first point for America and 108 seconds later Stricker has made it two when he closes out Westwood on the 16th green. It's a mighty blow struck for the Americans and Stricker is close to tears as Roger Maltbie sidles up to him, microphone in hand, warning the golfer: "Don't you start crying on me again just before they go on air."

1.02:Ian Poulter wins Europe's first point in beating Matt Kuchar 5 and 4; it's a classy performance. He admits: "I was 17 when I went to the Ryder Cup at The Belfry. It inspired me then and it has done since." On that occasion he camped out in a friend's tent in a field near the Birmingham venue.

1.07: Donald hits a great tee shot on 17 but misses the short putt; he's going down the 18th. McIlroy is already standing on that particular fairway and has 255 yards to the green into a slight breeze; it's a great strike but it finishes in the greenside bunker. After failing to get out with his first shot, he eventually holes a four-footer for a half. Darren Clarke and Montgomerie race to congratulate him.

1.30:Donald holds on for victory to record a second European point but Europe are only up in three at that stage and need two and a half points. The scope for slippage is miniscule. Woods, having been two down after two, is eight under for his round and it's only a matter of time before Francesco Molinari has to concede defeat.

2.02:Jimenez plays the shot of the day from a greenside bunker on 15 before closing out his match against Watson. He missed a family wedding to try and make the team. Europe have 13 points and need another one and a half. Since the Ryder Cup in 1985, on only three occasions in 144 matches has a player come from three down in a round to win.

WOODS WINS, Mickelson and Zach Johnson are dormie in their matches; Edoardo Molinari is three up with three to play against Rickie Fowler. The Italian and McDowell are going to decide Europe’s fate. McIlroy, eating a Kitkat, admits: “I was very nervous on that four foot putt and relieved to get it.”

2.43: Fowler wins the 16th and 17th with some stunning golf and he's now one down. Mickelson beats Hanson; Harrington is soon closed out on the 16th.

2.54:McDowell loses the 15th; he's one up with three to play.

3.02: Fowler holes a 15-footer on the last for birdie to conjure an unlikely half. Four birdies in the last four holes, a remarkable effort from the 21-year-old. McDowell's match with Mahan will decide the outcome of the Ryder Cup.

3.10: McDowell holes brilliantly from 15 feet for birdie and a win. He screams "come on", as he pumps his fist and the crowd goes ballistic. He's two up with two to play. An emotional Paul McGinley admits: "Graeme's playing in the bottom match for a reason. We knew it would probably be tight and we have every trust in him." Everyone is following this match as 30,000 spectators try to grab a vantage point.

3.18:Mahan has come up short and then duffs his chip. McDowell putts up to five feet, leaving the American needing to hole a second chip. He can't and concedes the match.

3.21:McDowell is engulfed by about 50 people simultaneously. Garcia, Clarke, Montgomerie, McIlroy, Hanson and Fisher are in the scrum somewhere. So too is Mahan. It's bedlam on the 17th green. The police are eventually called in to restore some order but it's largely a useless exercise. There are tears, cheers and beers; well, make that champagne.