U.S. team captain Paul Azinger, center, hugs Stewart Cink with Kenny Perry after winning the Ryder Cup on Sunday in Louisville, Ky.

Louisville, Ky. ? Phil Mickelson draped an American flag over his shoulders as he sauntered up the 18th fairway. U.S. captain Paul Azinger sprinted up the stairs to the clubhouse balcony at Valhalla, grabbed the biggest bottle of bubbly he could find and joined a party that plays out every two years at the Ryder Cup.

Finally, it was the Americans’ turn to celebrate.

“I never tried to think about what the outcome might be, and I started to dream about it a little bit today, thinking this could actually happen,” Azinger said with the shiny gold trophy at his side. “It just feels great to have it back on our soil.”

The Americans didn’t need a miracle putt or an amazing comeback like their last victory in 1999.

They didn’t even need Tiger Woods.

Strong as a team, equally mighty on their own, they rode the emotion of a flag-waving crowd and their Kentucky heroes on Sunday to take back the Ryder Cup with a 161â2-111â2 victory, their biggest margin over Europe in 27 years.

This Ryder Cup was all about role reversal.

It was the Americans who played as a team, with Azinger splitting them into three pods of personalities and keeping them together from the time they arrived at Valhalla.

The biggest putts belonged to the Americans, whether it was Hunter Mahan making one from 60 feet across the 17th green or Kentucky native Kenny Perry making just about everything in the defining moment of his career.

They even found someone to get under Sergio Garcia’s skin – Anthony Kim, who refused to concede anything, revved up the crowd and handed Europe’s best Ryder Cup player his biggest loss.

The biggest change of all?

Those were Americans huddled around Azinger on the stage at closing ceremonies, stretching to touch that 17-inch chalice.

“Their team was more of a European team,” Padraig Harrington said.

They sure got a European result.

“I’ve been on the other side when they made the winning putt, and it’s no fun” said Jim Furyk, whose 2-and-1 victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez gave the Americans the final point they needed. “I had a pretty rotten look on my face during this press conference. And now, I’m pretty damn happy.”

Added Perry: “I figured this was going to define my career. But you know what? It made my career.”

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