Westwood shows steel in putting US to sword

Yesterday was about making history. Europe's 18 ½ - 9 ½ victory over the USA was the biggest winning margin ever achieved by the former. There were also some personal landmarks. Thomas Levet became the first Frenchman to win a point in the Ryder Cup, Sergio Garcia broke his singles duck and so too did Lee Westwood.

There was a symmetry to the latter pair's achievement as they shared the honour of contributing the most European points, 4 ½ apiece, at Oakland Hills. Garcia claimed the first European singles success but it was Westwood's one-hole win over Kenny Perry that took his team to the cusp of victory.

The Englishman showed great character when faced with a tricky putt on the 18th green, the tension palpable as he stood over his four-and-a-half footer, even though the man in question didn't know its significance.

"No, but I had a fair idea that everyone was biting their nails over there. I knew it was fairly big. They looked a bit panicked, especially when Kenny rolled his 15-footer in. So it was obvious," he said.

"It (the putt) was a lot more uncomfortable when Kenny rolled in his. It was appropriate that such a tight match should be decided by a single putt. I'm absolutely delighted for the team, for Bernhard Langer and me.

"Me and Kenny had a great game. I really didn't give him anything. A lot of good shots went in, especially the two putts on the last. It's been a great week. I've had two great partners in Sergio (Garcia) and Darren (Clarke). I never got down on myself. It was a great team effort."

Perry was magnanimous in defeat, simply highlighting the tight nature of the encounter. "Lee played really well. He hit the ball great. We were both hitting greens and fairways and it was just a putt here or there."

Perry came back from one down after two to race to a two-hole lead by the sixth green but a bogey on the eighth cut the American's lead to just one up.

Westwood has shown steel throughout the week and it was his opponent who buckled down the stretch. Perry bogeyed 12, Westwood grabbed a birdie on 13 but suffered a bogey on 14 as the momentum see-sawed. It was a poor putt from Perry on 16 that would ultimately prove decisive.

Trailing by a single hole, he just could not create the opportunities he needed down the stretch but did show character when pitching and putting for par on the 18th.

It was then the Englishman's turn to feel the pressure but he was nerveless at the crucial moment and his team-mates engulfed him seconds after his four-foot putt hit the bottom of the cup.