Europe has claimed the 2014 edition of the golf’s Ryder Cup after wins by Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose and Jamie Donaldson saw Paul McGinley’s side complete a 16½ – 11½ win over the United States today at Gleneagles, Scotland.

The Europeans, who won the last edition two years ago, went into the final day holding a 10-6 lead and world number one McIlroy extended the lead by defeating Rickie Fowler 5&4 before his Northern Irish countryman McDowell beat Jordan Speith 2&1.

Kaymer, whose five-foot putt gave Europe the title two years ago in Medinah, then got the better of Bubba Watson while Rose overcame Hunter Mahan to take Europe to within half a point of reaching the score needed to claim the title.

And 38-year old Donaldson, making his Ryder Cup debut, obliged with a 4&3 win over Keagan Bradley to seal an eighth title for Europe in the last 10 editions of the competition.

After the win, Europe’s captain McGinley stated ”I’m very proud of every one of these players. I couldn’t have asked for an ounce more from them. I’ve been involved in so many Ryder Cups and seen mistakes we’ve made.”

He added that ”Bringing in a fifth vice-captain has been a factor in helping to prepare the guys, especially in the afternoon sessions but we have had 12 players who have been awesome.”

On his part, US captain Tom Watson said ”[Europe] have a wonderful team, but we came in here thinking we could beat them. Turns out we couldn’t.”