Colin Montgomerie holed the putt which secured the Ryder Cup for Europe for a further two years in a thrilling finish to the bi-annual tussle with the United States at Oakland Hills.
But it wasn't the one in the full glare of the cameras and a delirious crowd on the 18th green as the record will show.
It was a slippery six-footer on the 17th green, which kept David Toms at bay and dormie one down.
Minutes earlier Lee Westwood had already secured a point by beating Kenny Perry 1-up (to take the score 13.5-7.5) before Monty stepped up for his par-saver at the penultimate hole.
It meant that the Scot couldn't lose and the guaranteed half point was enough for Europe to retain the trophy. It was a dress rehearsal for a similar putt for par at the last which was enough win his tussle with Toms and claim the match overall.
Having Monty in the spotlight at the end was a fitting final curtain. He was making his seventh and probably last Ryder Cup appearance as a player and was drafted in by captain Bernhard Langer as a talisman for his team.
Despite a scary start to the final round of 12 singles in which the US - needing 9.5 points to regain the trophy - led in six of the first seven matches during the first two hours, Europe fought back and when the scores were finally counted, won the match 18.5 - 9.5.
Admitted Langer: "I was a bit worried at the beginning - there was too much red on the scoreboard but Sergio Garcia turned his match around and Lee and Monty came through. But it was a team effort and everyone made a contribution to the points."
Said Monty: " It's not about me, it's about the team - and this must have been one of the closest knit teams in international sport. Bernhard had good troops with him and we were strong at the top, middle and bottom, all playing for each other.
" This was as good a team as we've ever had and it augurs well for the next time around."
With the result decided and Europe dominating the final matches 'to win big' as Langer had wanted, US captain Hal Sutton admitted his players lacked the opposition's team spirit.
"We just never got the charisma going," he said. "The Europeans outplayed us. But I've got to live with it, give my wife and kids a hug and move on."
Singles results (European names first): Paul Casey lost to Tiger Woods 3&2; Sergio Garcia beat Phil Mickelson 3&2; Darren Clarke halved with Davis Love III; David Howell lost Jim Furyk 6&4; Lee Westwood beat Kenny Perry 1 hole; Colin Montgomerie beat David Toms 1 hole ; Luke Donald lost Chad Campbell 5&3; Miguel Angel Jimenez lost to Chris DiMarco 1 hole; Thomas Levet beat Fred Funk 1 hole; Ian Poulter beat Chris Riley 3&2, Padraig Harrington beat Jay Haas 1 hole; Paul McGinley beat Stewart Cink 3&2.
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