Lahinch proved the match-play masterpiece Irish golf knows and loves when Great Britain and Ireland clawed back a three-point deficit to claim their first Walker Cup win for 11 years in heart-stopping fashion.
Dean Robertson’s charges faced a mammoth task after losing the foursomes session 4-0 — their first whitewash in that format since Royal County Down in 2007 — to head into the singles 9.5-6.5 behind.
The USA needed just 3.5 points from 10 singles to retain the title with a 13-13 tie, and four points to win the match outright and claim a sixth successive victory.
GB&I needed seven points from 10 and got them in incredible fashion.
Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan came from behind again to beat world No 1 Preston Stout, while wins for Luke Poulter, Jack Whaley and Tyler Weaver, and a halved match for Niall Shiels Donegan, gave GB&I the lead.
While the bottom two matches went to the USA, Eliot Baker beat Stewart Hagestad on the 18th, leaving the home side needing 1.5 points from the last two matches to win for the first time since 2015.
Scotland’s Connor Graham got the half point, winning the last with a birdie to deny Miles Russell the chance to earn a 13-13 tie.
It all came down to Josh Hill, who was all-square with Tyler Watts playing the 18th, and went on to get up and down from a deep greenside bunker for birdie, tapping in a tricky two and a half-footer to give GB&I a 13.5-12.5 win.
“I believed in the team the whole time,” said captain Robertson. “They worked so hard. They played so well.
“This morning the Americans were so good, but they just brought (crowd cheering). I’m so proud of them. Just so special.”