While a succession of American players, who had performed so well during the first two days of the competition in Chicago, crumbled at the penultimate hole, Europe's players, who had enjoyed mixed fortunes earlier, suddenly found the fortitude of character and steadiness of hand to match the greatest ever comeback in the history of the contest.

And key to their amazing success was their ability to cope with the occasion, in the often hostile environment of the Medinah Country Club.

Dr John Mathers, sports psychologist at the University of Stirling, says technique and mental strength are equally important at the highest levels.

"Having technique is one thing. Skill is having technique but being able to cope with the pressure at the same time," he explained.

"Skill is being able to use that technique by dealing with the pressure that goes with competing, which is what the Europe team managed to do so well last night."

Yet while sports psychologists are now a common feature of elite sport preparation, Dr Mathers believes it would have been the expertise of a man who is not qualified in the science that would have played possibly the key role in what is being described as the Medinah miracle.

"Most of the major governing bodies and professional sports teams probably have sports psychology input. I don't believe there was a psychologist accompanying the European Ryder Cup team, but the individuals on that team would have had a coach and at some point worked with a mental-skills person.

"But the psychological support [at Medinah] would have been provided by the captain and vice-captain (Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez).

"The sports psychologist can bring many skills, but in that instance, players would benefit more from listening to the people who had actually been there and done that job before.

"That would have been far more relevant than having some psychologist pitch up.

"Although Olazabal does not have psychology training, he would have been selected because he knows how best to manage players in this situation."

So what were the key factors that helped Europe fight back from a 10-4 deficit to retain the trophy with a 14½ - 13½ victory?

Self-discipline and self-belief

Dr Mathers singled out two players who demonstrated the characteristics necessary to survive - and ultimately thrive - in the pressured environment of golf's fiercest competition.

With just two holes to play, Justin Rose was one down against Phil Mickelson. But he sank a sensational three-foot putt at the 17th to draw level with one hole to play.

Then, knowing a half-point for tying his match would probably not be enough for Europe, he holed another birdie to win on the last.

Dr Mathers said: "You have to make the emotions and muscle tensions stay fairly constant. I know some people like to fist-clench and jump up and down [when they have played a great shot]. That is fine, but you have to get rid of it by the next shot.

"What impressed me about Justin Rose was when he held the [putt at the] 17th, he stayed calm and walked at the same pace and went through the same routine at the 18th."

Similarly, Martin Kaymer, who holed the five-foot putt that clinched the cup for Europe, betrayed encouraging body language.

"He has been playing poorly for the last 18 months, but this was a chance to get back into the limelight, and he would have been supported by the crowd, his team-mates and the captain.

"He probably remembered the times he had been successful in the past."

Dr Mathers especially noted his body language after he had sent the first of the two putts he had for victory beyond the hole. "If you look at his expression, it didn't change. He treated it exactly the same.

"When I saw that I was happy."