Kitson buoyant after the storm

The European Tour's staging director for the Ryder Cup, Edward Kitson, is due a few nights' good sleep to make up for the deprivation of last week. It would be an onerous task to mastermind the staging of the Ryder Cup in clement weather let alone when a mini-hurricane and torrential rain threaten to sweep away the best-laid plans.

Kitson and his team coped admirably, despite the monsoon-like rain and the strong winds. He smiled: "I suppose the single biggest challenge during the week was the weather. We had four inches of rain in the week. We had to change the park-and-ride facilities a couple of times, but it worked out well in the end.

"We simply couldn't have persisted with a couple of the original venues. It was amazing the work put in by marshals, green-keeping staff and all the volunteers. We had to shift 400 tonnes of woodchip to the walkways to try and ensure that people could walk outside the ropes. The course may not have been seen in its best light, but it stood up to the weather assault remarkably well.

"There wasn't a single blip with the plumbing, electrics and things like that, which was very pleasing. The fact that we were able to get people from the park-and-ride areas, get everyone in an out with only a few cars getting stuck and having to be pulled out, was also a positive.

"We had spent eight years planning for this event and everyone has been exceptionally complimentary about how the tournament panned out. We are delighted that it ran well in difficult circumstances, culminating in a superb victory for the European team. This is the third Ryder Cup in which I have been involved and it was definitely the biggest and most challenging."

The demands of his job included overseeing all the infrastructure from corporate hospitality down to the most mundane operations.

"I'd arrive on site anywhere from 4.15am to 4.45am and wouldn't leave most night until about 10pm - some nights stretched to 11pm. There are so many checks that have to be made and it has to be done thoroughly and systematically. I had a superb team around me."

Kitson's most fraught 24 hours began on Thursday night, when the storm raged through Kildare.

"It was disappointing to have to delay admitting the supporters into the venue, but it was a decision based on health and safety grounds. The huge winds had taken down branches and hoardings and we had to take the time to get the venue ready.

"There was debris to be cleared and we had to go around and check every single structure. The K Club was hit by a mini-typhoon so there was plenty of clearing up to do. It'll take a minimum of six weeks to clear the venue of all the structures.

"All the team contributed to what was a very successful week. I have been responsible for a number of golf events and have never come across anything like the atmosphere. It was absolutely brilliant.

"To see the cup handed over to the European team in bright sunshine was an appropriate way to end the event."