GOLF:WHO KNOWS? Maybe, in years to come, those 12 European players here at Killeen Castle who yesterday ended years of subservience to the United States in the Solheim Cup will earn legendary status of their own.

Maybe. But the use of visual imagery and emotive words – one a cult photo strategically positioned in the team lockerroom of the late Seve Ballesteros in customary pose, the other a speech from Annika Sorenstam – ensured that Europe’s new generation didn’t lack for inspiration from the sport’s revered legends in securing a 15-13 win over the visiting Americans.

What’s more, they delivered. Just as Seve did in his time. Just as Annika did in her prime.

“Seve’s an inspiration to all of us. What he did for the game and his passion and his charisma, it just gives you a lift to see him and that passion,” said European captain Alison Nicholas.

“It just brought it all together, and he’s just sensational. He also did a messsage from his house last year to the team in Chicago, and we played that again. I grew up just watching Seve and was inspired by him and so were most of the team.”

Yesterday, the weather gods had a field day. The umbrellas – of many of the 28,000 spectators and 22 players alike – were up and down like yo-yos, and the fabric of waterproofs were severely tested. Fans squelched their way around outside the ropes Did it matter? Not a whit.

Inside those ropes, the European players did the job they had to do.

And, on a course where the hardworking green staff used water pumps and squeegees and the underground multi-million euro drainage system to ensure play, despite two suspensions due to the weather, continued, Europe won the Solheim Cup for the fourth time since its inception and the first time since 2003.

In the past, European teams have left Solheim Cups regretting missed putts and missed opportunities. They’ve looked at how the Americans sank putts, and wondered why it couldn’t have been them.

Yesterday, it was. There were times they were down, but they were never out . . . and, in Suzann Pettersen, the world number two, Europe possessed a talismanic player who took out Michelle Wie in the must-win match that turned the tide in their favour at the business end of proceedings.

Indeed, Europe’s big guns delivered big time. Sophie Gustafson made a magnificent contribution, winning all four of her matches while Pettersen and Catriona Matthew, who was unbeaten in four matches with two wins and two halves, contributing three points. But, as Nicholas later observed, this was a team win in every sense of the word.

“The team were phenomenal.Their passion, they never gave up, and it was so close.  Gosh, my emotions were up and down all day. It was an amazing display of golf. The drama and atmosphere here was just incredible,” added Nicholas.

Laura Davies, playing in her 12th Solheim and fourth as a winner, remarked: “This is the first time we looked like we were dead and buried and we’ve come back and actually won it. We had three matches left on the course, and we needed a result from all of them. Normally the Americans are in that position, and they come back and do it. So this was the most exciting win by far. We’ve had four wins, but this one tops all the others.”

The smiles seemed etched onto their faces, masking a sense of disbelief in a way. “I guess we’ll all remember this for the rest of our lives. It’s just fantastic,” said Pettersen.

With the teams level at 8-8 after two days of foursomes and fourballs, the United States was hit by the loss yesterday morning of Cristie Kerr. The world number three was unable to play due to a wrist injury and, under the terms of the captains’ agreement, the match – with Karen Stupples – was conceded to Europe.

That point was to prove vital in the overall outcome.

There were no excuses from US captain Rosie Jones on the issue, not was there any second guessing herself for allowing an injured player to play four times without rest over the previous two days.

“Cristie and I were in cahoots the entire time about her wrist, the entire tournament. She let me know about it and we were doing everything we could to make sure that she was in tip-top shape to play. When it came down to playing, she was ready. She played well and she wanted to go again,” said Jones.

“Unfortunately, overnight the inflammation was too much and we lost the opportunity for her to play today. You know, you never know when that’s going to happen. I’ve been injured a lot in the last 10 years in my career and sometimes you wake up and you just have a new little kink. Her little kink got worse overnight, and that’s basically what happened.”

No, this time, Europe got the rub of the green. And who can say they didn’t deserve it?